2 FREE PLUGINS

KIRNU CREAM CM SEQUENCER + CAELUM AUDIO FLUX MINI 2 FX

FOUND
SOUND
EXPERIMENTAL SAMPLES
SOUNDSCAPES

SEPTEMBER 2022 / CM311

4 FREE
[& FILTHY]
SAMPLE
PACKS
Get analogue humanity back intoyour digital productions
4330
SAMPLES
Recreate the analogue Distort, saturate, warm 12 tutorials with your
signal path in your DAW and detune with ease free CM Suite plugins

WILLIAM
INTERVIEW

PRO GUIDES
PERFECT
BASS+
ORBIT
“Pro Tools gave me my
production mojo back”
CINEMATIC
BEATS PLUS

BEST TABLETS
FOR MUSIC
MAKING!
Apple vs Windows
vs Android


 
 welcome / computer music <

DOWNLOAD See page 83 to find out

HOW TO USE how to download this

welcome
issue’s exclusive content
Whenever you see this icon, you can grab
the files on your PC or Mac by going to
DOWNLOAD
[Link]/computermusic.

Tutorials eaturing this icon make

use o our own Plugins – find
out all about them at [Link].
When I first started making music it was all pre-digital
This icon means there are extra files
to help you ollow a tutorial eature: (yes, hard to tell rom my picture I know – uh hmm – but
TUTORIAL
FILES project files, audio examples, etc. we’re talking ‘the ‘80s’ here). Back then there was this
horrific thing called ‘noise’; you had it coming out o
There’s extra video content
wherever you see this icon.
every item o equipment, every cable, every damn
output (and input). I even bought a 1/3U box rom Alesis,
an actual piece o hardware, that was supposed to cut
out the noise on my system. It didn’t really work, to be
[Link]
WWW honest, and all my early music was ‘blessed’ with hissy
introductions. Fast orward a ew years and all o that
noise went out o the
computermusic@[Link]
[Link]/[Link] “There was this window as I went ‘in the
box’. Around 2004 I was
[Link]/computermusicuk horrific thing completely laptop only,
[Link]/computermusicmag called ‘noise’” boasting on these
pages how noise-ree I
was and how excellent it
[Link]/computermusicmag
was to make music in an airport with a hot and weighty
PC laptop resting on my thighs. No tape, no external
processing, just pure digital, noise-ree joy. But we’re odd
human beings, aren’t we? I can understand the return to
analogue when it comes to synths and now we yearn or
more analogue-style music productions: less
digital cleanliness, more unpredictable
wobble, noise, fluf and saturation.
We’re not going as ar as to introduce
those happy moments o noise at
the start o each track like my
Subscribe to albums o the 80s (unless you really
Computer Music! want to) but we’ll certainly help you
See p44 introduce some humanity back into
your sound. It’s really a case o being
careul what you wish or. We wanted
Where to get perection and then didn’t. Next
PRINT ZINIO month: mono and why one
in stores and online
[Link]
for PC, Mac, Android, iPad & more
[Link]
ear is better than two.
iOS APP STORE GOOGLE PLAY
for iPad, iPhone & iPod touch for Android & Chrome for PC/Mac
Andy Jones Editor
[Link]/cmdigital [Link] [Link]@[Link]

 
 contents
ISSUE 311 SEPTEMBER 2022

Cover feature

40 62
/expert Reviews
guides 62 CABLEGUYS/
40 SYNTH NICKY ROMERO
MASTERCLASS KICKSTART 2
Dave Gale gets a go-getting 64 CHERRY AUDIO
bass sound with Zebra CM
MINIMODE
42 PRODUCTION 66 CAELUM AUDIO
THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO MASTERCLASS FLUX PRO

ANALOGUE DIRT
Ashley Thorpe creates even
more perfect basses 68 ARTURIA V
COLLECTION 9
Are your mixes too clean and clinical? Make Music 71 RØDE NTH-100
Time to add some humanity and soul! Now 72 IOS, ANDROID
AND PC TABLETS
54 CINEMATIC BEATS ROUNDUP
14 BACK TO BASICS: PRO GUIDE TO Your in-depth guide to creating huge
ANALOGUE PROCESSING and bombastic beats for ilm and
trailer soundtracks
A look at the analogue signal chain and how
emulating it can add warmth to your mixes
Essentials
26 HANDS-ON TUTORIALS 6 NEWS
AND WORKSHOPS 444 SUBSCRIBE
We explore some of the common ways to ilth up 97 BACK ISSUES
your sound, and all for free with the Plugin Suite
98 NEXT MONTH
/ interview 54
46 WILLIAM ORBIT
After producing Madonna,
Blur and many more high
proile artists, William Orbit
took an extended break from
music. But after a fateful
beginner’s Pro Tools course
he is back with a new album
and working with some of
the greatest female artists of
our generation…
46 68 72
4 / COMPUTER MUSIC / September 2022

 
 downloads / contents <

downloads
Download this content from [Link] – see p83
free plugin 1
FLUX MINI 2 CM
How to download and use this incredible
plugin update from Caelum Audio
84
free plugin 2
KIRNU CREAM CM
The brilliant performance and sequencing
plugin is back in the Computer Music Plugin
88 Suite and it’s better than ever!

free samples
ULTIMATE DIRT SAMPLES!
Two all-new ilthy sample packs plus two
92 classics and some Loopmasters demos
Download via File Silo (see p83)

free videos
BASS AND MORE ON FILM
Our two bass masterclasses on video plus
guides to using both of our free plugins
96 Download via File Silo (see p83)
September 2022 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 5

 
 > news

It’s a hat-trick of vintage synths

Just when you thought we’d run out of synth emulations, three more pop up
Like us you probably thought that
every classic synth had already been
emulated, rebuilt, reworked, built again,
modelled, remodelled, souped up,
dressed down and generally turned into
software. Not so because we have not one
but three new ones to bring you here!
First out of the blocks are GForce
Software, developers who are not exactly
known for their fast release rate. Like the
Bethesda of plugins they rarely release stuf,
but you sit up and take notice when they do.
So we weren’t expecting much in the way of
new stuf since they only relatively recently
released the rather great Oberheim OB-E. Two Rolands and
But hot on its heels and just in time for Tom an Oberheim: just
Oberheim’s birthday – and indeed indorsed the latest three
classic synths to
by him – comes GForce’s Oberheim SEM. be emulated in
As it happens GForce collaborated with software form
Obeheim on the OB-E and found out that
Tom didn’t think there was an accurate all is the price, just £60 which sounds like a make it obvious either, preferring you to opt
emulation of the original 1974 SEM synth. So bargain for this 400preset plugin. for a Roland Cloud subscription (from $3 to
they decided to do something about it and The next new ‘old’ synth is the Jupiter4 $20/month).
here we are with GForce’s SEM and what from Roland. It’s brand new for the Finally on the classic synth front is
they describe as “an experience that is truly company’s Cloud subscription but also Softube’s new Model 82. The numbers in the
authentic to the original instrument”. Best of works as a Plugout for Roland’s System 8 ‘Model’ range refer to the year the original
hardware (efectively turning that hardware emulated synth was released (Model 84 is
synth into a Jupiter). You might think the the 1984 Juno 106 and Model 72 is a 1972
Jupiter4 is ‘just’ half a Jupiter8 and while Minimoog) so here we have a 1982 SH-101.
that is (kind of) true, the 4 is also notable in Softube have a much simpler pricing policy
that the original hardware was Roland’s irst for their Roland than Roland do, this one
polyphonic synth and irst to carry the costing $99 (or $79 until the end of July).
Jupiter name. You can buy these Cloud [Link], [Link],
synths individually although Roland don’t [Link]

UVI mix the best of both worlds

It’s almost like UVI knew that we’re a bit bored with orchestral
libraries and dull plugin synths because they’ve taken the best of
each and mashed them together for Augmented Orchestra. The
instrument features a powerful engine that “melds a world-class
orchestra with processed and synthetic sounds to deliver
imaginative timbres and breathtaking soundscapes”. Don’t think (as
we did) that it’s just a synth mixed with an orchestra as it uses a
complex layer system to create these textures and instruments.
Sounds intriguing, although at $299 it’s pricey. Review soon.
Is it a synth or an orchestra? It’s an Augmented Orchestra! [Link]
6 / COMPUTER MUSIC / September 2022

 
 news <

Arturia have even more App watch

effects you’ll actually use
Arturia have announced FX Collection 3, a
suite of 26 efect plugins that they say We report on the latest
“you’ll actually use”. We like the phrase
because we’re pretty sure that you, like us, developments in phone
don’t get nearly enough use out of our
plugin collections so a ‘less is more’
and tablet music making
approach is probably the order of the day
for us all. But that rather worthy philosophy
is shot to pieces when you realise there are
Pocket Operator
If you thought that Teenage
26 plugins here to ‘actually use’… Oh well, it Get 26 efects worth €99 each in a bundle for just Engineering only made
was a good thought while it lasted. €399. That’s Arturia’s FX Collection 3… dinky, eye-wateringly priced
They are good ones though. You get all of hardware these days, Pocket
Arturia’s efects collections (reverbs, us and “one of the most satisfying sound- Operator for Pixel ishere to
compressors, mix bus, modulation, delays slicers we’ve seen”); and Tape Mello-Fi – (for set you straight. Exclusive to
and more) under one umbrella. And as these vintage tape-aged warmth). So, basically this Google’smore recent Pixel
have generally individually scored at least month’s cover feature in four efects. phones (5 and above), this
9/10 in our reviews, you really can’t argue There are also improvements to some of cleverapp uses the Big G’s
with an entire bundle of them that retails for the plugin interfaces, some 250 presets, TensorFlow machine learning tech to
far less than buying them individually. This Apple M1 compatibility and other tweaks to pluck samples from your videos and place
is, essentially, the V Collection of efects, what is a ine collection of efects. The best them on a 4x4 grid of buttons so that you
after all. bit is, of course, the price. €399 gets you a can use them to create sequences. Clever,
So what’s new over in FX Collection 2? bundle of efects that would cost you eight eh? It’s all veryslick, particularly as video
Well the main headline is four new efects. times that if you (rather stupidly) bought is displayed at the top of the screen and
There’s Dist Tube-Culture (for modern valve them individually. Don’t try to sue Arturia if synced up with the music. Downloadable
saturation); Dist Opamp-21 (classic guitar you don’t ‘actually use’ them though. for free right now.
pedal saturation); Efx Fragments (10/10 from [Link] [Link]

Steinberg launch VST Live Koala Sampler

Perhaps recognising that we’re all a bit fed On the subject of audio
up with either staring at our laptops while extraction, fans of the Koala
performing or staring at a performer Sampler – of which there
staring at a laptop while performing, are many – should be
Steinberg have announced VST Live, a new pleased to hear that a
Mac and PC app that is designed to give recent update introduces
audiences “a show they will remember”. the Split Stems feature, an
VST Live is available in two versions: VST automatic ‘unmixer’ that
Live Pro and VST Live Elements, but both performance, controlling lights and up to six will isolate the drums, bass,
essentially let you create complete live sets video channels. It also supports the VST Live vocals and ‘other elements’ and put them
with your songs and control them during a app so you can control your performance on separate pads so that you can make
performance, with efects, MIDI control, set from the comfort of your iPad. music with them. Youcan also use this tool
re-ordering and live playing alongside the VST Live is aimed at all live performers, to remove one or more parts from a track
original or remixed songs. from pub and club giggers to larger festival (the vocals or drums, for example) and
The Pro version of VST Live adds the players and costs €$80 for Elements and merge what’s left into a single ile. Very
creation, editing and control of DMX tracks €$130 for Pro (with education discounts). handy indeed. Available for iOS
which take care of the visual side of your [Link] ($4.99/£4.49) and Android ($4.99/£3.99).
[Link]
your plugins like you would a hardware
synth. The company’s new keyboard takes
the ‘hardware taking over’ concept up a step,
though, sounding like it’s turning the very
software vs hardware argument on its head.
LFOH!
KDevices is giving
It not only ofers MPC-style sequencing but iOS users a new
25 plugin instruments that deliver and eminently
everything from synths to realistic acoustic afordable way of
sounds. There’s a Quad Core Arm Processor modulating their
with 4GB of RAM running things, so Akai say, audio and MIDI
“no need for a computer” although the with the LFOH! AUv3 plugin. At itsheart,
MPC2 Desktop Software DAW for Mac/PC is this is a single-oscillator LFOwith a set of
also included (for which you’ll presumably continuously morphable and selectable
need a Mac of PC). waveforms. There’s more to it than that,
While this is clearly one step above the though: you can shape the waveform by
Akai’s new keyboard brings older VIP tech, it does sound like it’s “swinging its cycles, bending its curve, and
software to hardware progressing that ‘one unit does everything’ squeezing portions of oscillation in the
Akai’s VIP system used in their controller ethos that Akai have become famous for. It same period of time”. There’s also a
keyboards is/was a great attempt at doing will cost you, though, the 61 keyboard Sample and Hold circuit to provide
what NI did with Komplete Kontrol, that is costing $1899/€1,999.99/£1,699.99. Look out quantisation for the signal that’s spat out.
giving users a hardware experience over for a review soon. Available now priced at $4/£4.
software, essentially allowing you to play [Link] [Link]
September 2022 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 7

 
 > news

Melda’s mighty amps

MeldaProduction have announced
MTurboAmp, described as “a mighty
collection of guitar amps and distortion
pedals”. You get more than 30 amp
heads and a dozen distortion pedals
but it doesn’t end there. You can also
create you own amps that “even the
manufacturers wouldn’t dare make”.
We’re loving the hyperbole here and
might even ofer the writer a job. Even
better, “your mouse is a virtual soldering
iron” (yes!) as you can access all the amp
models and parameters while you create
your own amps. £85 gets you the plugin. You
supply the mouse/soldering iron…
[Link]
Techivation’s new T-Exciter What a waste
T-Exciter is the name of a new exciter plugin from relative We’re liking the name of Softube’s latest
newcomers Techivation that is “designed to bring life and plugin. Wasted Space is an extreme lo-i
digital reverb plugin aimed at creative
energy to sounds”. The distinctive looking plugin has efect producers and sound designers.
modes called Shine, Air, Wet and Crisp that help your There’s a very 80s vibe about its look
and sound too, with 80s aliasing
music cut through a mix or help make tracks sound artefacts being its forte. Features like
sharper and brighter. The whole thing is controlled with variable sample rate and selectable
aliasing ilter type also allow you to go
one large dial, and there’s also a width option to deliver as low as you like in the lo-i stakes.
more space to your mix. “This plugin does magic when it Wasted Space is available in three formats:
comes to adding excitement and energy to sounds, and it the usual native version plus ones for
Softube’s Modular and Ampo Room
does it in a very musical way,” they say. It’s pretty cheap too environments. It’s $59, although you can get
at just $39 (£29 to end of July). Review soon. it for just $35 until the end of July.
[Link]
[Link]
Novum sound Dawesome
Tracktion, the makers of the fantastic
Waveform DAW (of which the free version is
probably the best freebie out there), have
announced Novum. Developed by
Dawsome (love that name too), it is a
synth/sampler that “elegantly
combines spectral, granular and
subtractive synthesis”. Tracktion
describe the new plugin’s process as
the sonic equivalent of how white light
is split into its colours by a prism. Novum
does the same with sound, creating layers
and “providing the freedom to edit them
individually”. It costs $179 and we’ll have a
review soon.
[Link]

Focusrite focus on the Antares release Vocal EQ

Antares, the developers of your favourite
podcasting market automatic vocal tuning app, have
announced Auto-Tune Vocal EQ, a plugin
Who hasn’t got a podcast, right? Well, us for one, but you they describe as, “the only dynamic
know what we mean: everyone is casting! And spotting EQ with Auto-Tune pitch tracking
technology built in”. It’s an EQ
the market potential, Focusrite have combined their love speciically developed for vocals and
for the cast with their expertise in audio interfaces to features Pitch Metering (which allows
you to ind the best place in the
come with the new Vocaster range. Vocaster One (£190) frequency spectrum to work in for any
is a single input device for the solo podcaster and vocalist); Pitch Tracking (lock an EQ band to
a vocalist’s pitch) and Vocal Learning (to
Vocaster Two (£290) has, you guessed it, two ins and two determine the vocal type). Currently it’s only
headphones for dual speakers. Both also have ‘Studio’ available in Auto-Tune Unlimited, Antares’
bundles that ofer additional headphones and mics. subscription service of $25/month, although
there is a free trial version.
[Link] [Link]
8 / COMPUTER MUSIC / September 2022

 
 
 > news

SampleScience’s Stylo – can

years you tell what it is yet?
back This is the slot in Computer Music where we
generally cover freeware releases, but really it’s
Our monthly shake-of-the- become ‘SampleScience corner’ because this
head at our earlier selves’ company releases so many free (and imaginative)
news choices… plugins. Their latest is Stylo Synthesis, a ROMpler
based on “the famous portable organ from the
Sample licensing has always been a
thorny, potentially costly business, so 60s”, that being a Stylophone. It features longer
back in September 2012 we showed you
how to cut your potential royalty costs by sampling times to
‘replaying’ a sound rather than using the
original. A handy skill to have during a properly emulate
cost of living crisis, we think you’ll agree… the original
There was also a guide to recreating
the of-beat organ stab in Kylie’s Can’t Get hardware, plus
You Out Of My Head – already a classic,
and now even more so – while In the efects and a ilter.
“Dr Bob’s surname actually
It’s free and
available as a Mac
rhymes with ‘rogue’ rather and PC VST/VST3/
than ‘move’” AU plugin or
reviews section, we had our eye not only Kontakt instrument.
on Sugar Bytes’ Cyclop (see what we did
there?) but also Reason 6.5 and its
[Link]
“conceptually controversial” new Rack
Extensions format. Still, we liked it.
Oh, and one reader emailed to tell us
that one of our puns in a previous issue
didn’t quite pass the snif test. As he
rightly pointed out, our ‘Moog with the
times’ headline was a little of, as Dr Bob’s
Ins & outs
CLAP TO THE FUTURE? RIP DAVE SMITH
surname actually rhymes with ‘rogue’ You might wonder why Bitwig and The synth world was left in shock
rather than ‘move’. u-he are launching a new plugin when news broke that Dave Smith,
Our response, though – that “we’re not format – CLAP – but hear them out. the legendary designer of the
ones to let journalistic accuracy get in the This open standard promises better Prophet-5 and countless other
way of a good punning opportunity” – performance and more MIDI 2.0/ synths, had died while on the road.
was equally valid, we feel. MPE-inspired expression features A founding father of the MIDI
than existing rivals. More standard, he helped develop the
developer-friendly, too. original spec and even the name.

RUNNING UP THE CHARTS MUSIC FOR… WHAT EXACTLY?

The resurgence of Kate Bush’s 1985 “All these playlists with names
single Running Up That Hill has like Music for Sleeping, Music for
come as a pleasant surprise not only Focus, Music for Masturbation,”
to us, but also the artist herself, who bemoaned Nils Frahm this month.
admitted to being “astounded His new three-hour album, Music
to watch the track explode!” For Animals, is a diferent beast he
Now, where did we put our says; it was made with “no
Fairlight CMI plugin… speciic audience in mind”.

TOP MARKS REEL DEALS

We’re deinitely getting ‘cool music Back in the early 2000s, when
teacher’ vibes from Mark Ronson, everyone thought analogue tape
who’s put together an 18-part music recording was on the way out, alt-
production course for the BBC rockers Sonic Youth started
Maestro learning platform. “It’s stockpiling the stuf
usable, accessible content,” says never having happened, they
the acclaimed studio helmsman, now hav
Wideboys. Stereo Width. But sadly our editor hadn’t which is just how we like it. are having to log it on Reverb
learned the power of 3. What a letdown.

10 / COMPUTER MUSIC / September 2022

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 
 
 
 > cover feature / the essential guide to analogue dirt

THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO

Your digital mixes may well be too perfect! Here’s our guide to
bringing some humanity back into your productions and how
to get deep, down and dirty with some ‘analogue’ processing
If you’re old enough to remember the How fashions change. Somewhere along the And now you can use your DAWs to combine
1980s, you’ll recall it was a time when march of digital, we decided that it was a bit too digital clarity with analogue charm, realism and
‘digital’ became the cool, new thing. And not clean and harsh. And now, of course, analogue punch, and that’s what we’ll show you in this
just in music production. Everything went is back! Modular synths – many analogue in month’s cover feature. We’ll explain just what
digital, from clocks to watches, from cash nature – are all the rage and those digital, ‘that analogue sound’ is, and reveal some easy
tills to calculators. And in music making we menu-driven synths of the 80s have been techniques to add the right amount of it to your
got the skips in to take our compressors and consigned to their deserved place in history. mixes. We’ll show you how to use the best
great big modular synths away! In came But we’re not just talking synths. The actual analogue-style plugins, and how classic mixing
digital synths, computers, hard disc processing of sound also became too clean and methodology can help get the most from them.
recording and endless ones and zeros. clinical. We now yearn for vibe, warmth, Best of all we’ll do most of it using plugins you
Forget those silly knobs and dials kids – we presence and authenticity. But the analogue already have by way of the mighty Computer
had endless menus to step through and gear used to produce this – synths, vintage Music Plugin Suite.
could now record in binary! Forget tape, hiss, beatboxes, room-sized mixing consoles, and So it’s time to defrost your sound and bring
noise and wobble – clean audio perfection whirring tape machines – now cost an arm and some humanity back. Let’s ire up our DAWs
was just round the corner! a leg. Besides, we’re Computer Music, right? and return some classic warmth to your mixes.

14 / COMPUTER MUSIC / September 20227

 
 the essential guide to analogue dirt / cover feature <

Why analogue is better

So we know that digital processing can be
too perfect or harsh. And by comparison,
analogue is usually described as ‘warm’,
‘punchy’ and ‘fat’. But why is this?
Digital is a practically perfect system for
representing sound. For 44,100Hz audio, for
example, all frequencies up to half that point
(22,050Hz in this case) are perfectly
represented. With audio processed at 64-bit
and saved to 24-bit iles, signals can be
super-loud or incredibly quiet with no
practical loss of quality. When digital audio
is copied, routed, processed or adjusted in
level, the quality remains intact. No noise is
added. No frequencies are removed.
Dynamics and transients are unafected. It’s
a near-perfect medium.
Now let’s look at a typical analogue signal
chain – see the diagram on p16. Imagine that
an analogue synth is producing a basic
wave. Its components are not perfect, so the
source waveform is not an exact saw to start
with. Then the analogue circuitry adds noise
which is caused mainly by the constant
motion of electrons in the equipment. It’s Every component in an old-school analogue setup would add its own imperfections to the inal signal

“All analogue circuitry changes, but they all add up.

The medium of tape adds further hiss,
output. It might be ‘better’ on paper, but in
practice, a mathematically ideal saw wave
adds background noise … frequency bumps, distortion and dynamic isn’t always pleasing to listen to.
squashing. Tape speed varies slightly but The good news is that there isn’t an
there’s no way around it” constantly, causing tiny timing/pitch wobbles intrinsic reason why digital can’t sound like
called wow (slow) and lutter (rapid).
Now factor in drum machines,
analogue – we just need to take steps to
intentionally make it sound that way.
microphones, and analogue efects, and In your DAW – or the free Computer
basic physics, and there’s no way around it. their associated signal paths. Each brings Music Plugin Suite – you have the tools to do
So the output of the synth will already have more dirt, hiss, hum and distortion. If you this. You have everything you need to
a little noise, and the electronics in each run out of tape tracks, you’d have to bounce replicate all the additional elements that
successive piece of equipment will add to them down to a spare track, adding another analogue processing brings in.
this. Likewise, some analogue gear can pick layer of permanent hiss and tape grit. Over the next few pages, then, we’ll show
up hum from the current of your mains With all that going on, you can begin to you how the analogue signal path can be
power supply – 50Hz in the UK and Europe, understand why analogue sounds the way it replicated using common DAW plugins. We’ll
60Hz in the US. Each circuit may also afect does – just imagine everything our synth’s then show you how you can use your free
frequency content, such as rolling of treble saw wave has been through by the time it Computer Music Plugin Suite plugins to
or adding a bass hump. In addition, all inally hits the speakers. In contrast, in your emulate a series of common analogue
analogue circuitry adds subtle distortion DAW, you can synthesise a saw wave that’s processes. First, though, let’s look at a
and even phase distortion. These are subtle perfectly preserved all the way to the inal typical analogue recording scenario.

The evolution of distortion

Professional audio gear is designed to give Analogue distortion comes in a variety of
acceptable noise and minimal distortion at lavours and characters. Early electronic gear
appropriate signal levels. By keeping levels used valves (aka tubes), which are associated
throughout a real signal path around 0dBU, with producing even and odd harmonics. The
the producer should get good results. 1950s saw valves superseded by the more
Even so, producers were desperate to keep compact solid-state transistors, which
noise levels down, so they would often emphasise odd harmonics when distorted,
intentionally run signals ‘hot’ to increase the sounding sharper and more aggressive.
signal-to-noise ratio. Most analogue gear Valves aren’t used in consumer electronics
breaks up and distorts in a pleasant way, and anymore, but they still have a place in guitar
this characteristic eventually became amps, preamps, and vintage-lavoured efects.
associated with classic production. Tape lies somewhere between valve and
So what is distortion? At its simplest, when a transistor, producing stronger odd harmonics.
signal is played too loud, the excess is chopped While distortion is a technically accurate
of or ‘clipped’. A sine wave’s smooth top and term, we often use the terms saturation or
bottom would be lattened of, making it more (over)drive instead, referring to mild and
like a square wave. This process introduces moderate amounts. In music production,
harmonics, in the same way that ‘squaring of’ ‘distortion’ is usually an aggressive efect –
a sine wave does. think metal guitars and gabber kick drums.
September 2022 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 15

 
 > cover feature / the essential guide to analogue dirt
The classic analogue
recording signal path
Before we go about emulating Synth Microphone Sampler Drum Machine
the quirks of electrical circuits in
our DAW, let’s take a look at the
original signal path we’re trying
to emulate. The diagram on the
right shows how such a classic Preamps
setup works. Let’s start from the
top and work down…
A multitrack tape machine
would add yet more saturation, Multitrack tape machine
and inconsistent tape movement
would lead to very slight pitch
and timing changes. Analogue
mixing desks would introduce Mixing desk
saturation and crosstalk (ie,
signal bleed between channels).
With the number of complex EQ EQ EQ EQ
connections made here, electrical
noise is a likely addition, and
there are plugins designed to
replicate this on every channel of
a mix, as well as the master bus. Level Level Level Level
By using plugins to emulate a
signal path like this, you’ll dial in
the cumulative warmth and Pan Pan Pan Pan
cohesion of the analogue studio.
In the tutorial below, we’ll show
you how to easily add authentic Sub group Sub group 2
vintage vibes to a whole track
using common software tools.
Over the page we’ll go back to Master bus
basics with ‘analogue’ as we
explain how to replicate the
entire signal path in your DAW.
We’ll show you how you can Mastering chain
emulate every stage, from tape (EQ, compression etc)
through mixing console through
efects processing, all using
common plugins.
Then from page 26, we’ll show We’ll show you how to Mastering
you how to reproduce some replicate this
analogue signal path tape machine
common analogue processing in your DAW for some
tasks, all using your free plugins old school analogue
from the (mighty) Computer warmth and dirt
Music Plugin Suite.

16 / COMPUTER MUSIC / September 2022

 
 
 > back to basics / the pro producer’s guide to analogue

Back to
BASICS

Analogue
The Pro Producer’s Guide To

Getting a distorted analogue sound is a great way to add

filth to digital productions. Here’s a look at the classic
analogue signal chain and how to recreate it in your DAW
It goes without saying that the ability to these things have been around in plugin form chosen operating level, biasing and, of course,
record and edit audio in the digital for ages now, but the current generation tape type to greatly inluence the outcome.
domain brings enormous benefits, enabling focuses particularly on the subtleties and Beyond this, desk bussing also inluences
us to produce punchy, cutting-edge music nuances, emulating the efects of tape and desk sound, and when you punctuate the signal
entirely within our computers. However, circuits used at regular operating levels. chain with transformer and ampliication
there’s still something undeniably special In general terms, the analogue recording circuits, some of which may be valve-based,
about audio processed in the analogue chain runs from a mic or DI, via a preamp, desk there are clearly many sources of analogue
domain. Wouldn’t it be great, then, i you channel and sometimes desk bussing, out to a colouration being brought to bear.
could make your digital recordings sound tape deck. The resultant multitrack recording is In these walkthroughs we’ll put some of
more analogue? then replayed via desk channels and summed these tools to the test by taking some pristine
Thanks to an increasing number of to stereo. Within this process, there’s an awful digital sounds and analogue-ising them. We’ll
extremely talented plugin developers, this has lot going on that simply doesn’t factor into a apply our plugins on an ‘as needed’ basis, using
very much become a viable possibility, as they DAW setup. tape, transformer and/or valve processing on
painstakingly model the gloriously chaotic Probably the most signiicant element is the individual sounds or groups of tracks where
analogue processes behind magnetic tape, tape machine, where various pre-emphasis and they’re best suited. Don’t forget to check out the
valves, transformers and more. Of course, all of playback EQ circuitry combines with your accompanying audio examples.
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 the pro producer’s guide to analogue / cover feature <
Drumandtape–amatchmadeinheaven
It’s often said that drums and tape make the machine has two heads – sync and repro – which Broadly speaking, analogue tape afects an
perfect pairing, but why? And is this still a sound slightly diferent to each other. The irst audio signal in a beneicial way, but there are
meaningful suggestion in the digital age? can record and play back, with heads physically some changes that may arise which are less
If you’ve ever recorded drums on a high- lined up to enable overdubs to be carried out desirable, including crosstalk, print-through,
quality professional multitrack tape machine, perfectly in time; the second ofers a higher- edge tracks, softening of transients and tape
the experience of playing them back and quality ‘playback-only’ solution for when you hiss. The last of these can become quite
hearing the sound change can be both exciting get to the mixing stage. Typically, you’ll be signiicant if you EQ high frequencies heavily
and unnerving. Tape typically applies a level of listening on the sync head when tracking and after recording. Thankfully, the plugin
mid- to high-frequency smoothness, overall glue making recording decisions. emulations we’re using in this tutorial focus on
and subtle compression to the sound. However, the positives, so although you might be able to
the degree to which this occurs is dependent on
many small factors, and it can be pretty baling Tape afects an audio dial in some tape noise if you want it, you can
thankfully switch it out or turn it down if it’s
knowing how to use it to your advantage.
The factors involved include the level signal in a beneficial becoming a problem.
In this walkthrough, we’ll put the emulated
captured to tape, the tape type, tape speed (and
the inherent head bump or bass boost way, but undesirable tape/drum combination to the test. Unlike in the
analogue world, we can adjust our drum tracks
changes may arise
associated with it), the choice of EQ curve and, individually, deciding how much tape efect is
of course, the type of machine used. And to applied to each. We can also adjust the tape type
make matters even more complicated, a tape and line-up individually.

> Step by step 1.Tapeemulation

TUTORIAL
FILES

1 There are quite a few tape emulation plugins to choose from – for
this walkthrough we’re going for Universal Audio’s Studer 800. Not
only is this a meticulous virtualisation, but the A800 is an old engineer
favourite for drum tracking. With its many presets, this plugin allows us
to very easily replicate a typical drum tracking situation.
2 Tape type plays an important role in how noisy things are and how
much saturation you can achieve, and some of the more recent
high-output tapes can be much harder to saturate. Here we’re going
for an older but very popular tape for drum tracking: Ampex 456. This
saturates easily and should work well for the kick and snare.

3 Let’s start by loading up a very linear preset so that we can hear

what, if any, diference a linear machine makes. We’re also going
for a tape speed of 15ips. Although more noisy, this imparts a slightly
diferent frequency response with better low end. To allow for peaks,
tweak the input level so the VU is reading between -5dB and -10dB.
(Audio: Step 3a and Step 3b)
4 With our linear setting, we’re getting some enhancement to the
sound. Now let’s see if we can improve things by pushing the level
to tape. Initially this adds to the sound, enhancing the thump of the
kick, but eventually the returns diminish and it starts to sucks the life
out of the sound. Back the level of to the optimum point.

September 2022 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 19

 
 > back to basics / the pro producer’s guide to analogue

You can get the sound of the SSL 4000’s

legendary buss compressor in your DAW
via numerous plugins, including Slate
Digital’s Virtual Console Collection

> Step by step 1.Tapeemulation(continued)

5 We have some other parameters to play with. We can switch to the

Sync head or, indeed, just the Input. Both are worth trying, with the
latter modelling only the input electronics. There’s also the Noise
setting, which introduces both mains hum and noise based on the line-
up preset (CCIR or NAB). We keep the noise but turn down the hum.
6 For our snare drum we’re going to stick with the 456 and 15ips,
once again starting with the same linear preset as the kick. This
time, however, more drive is the order of the day. As a inal twist, we
can adjust the pre-emphasis record EQ setting to change the high-
frequency response.

7 For our overheads, we go for a diferent approach. Using a quieter

and more linear tape (GP9) at 30ips, again our starting point is a
linear preset – but note that the operating level is now higher with the
high-output tape. A/B-ing the sound for the overheads reveals the
addition of some top-end smoothness. (Audio: Step 7a and Step 7b.)
8 To step things up, we drive the tape harder by increasing the Input
level. This adds a little crunch and some ‘glue’ to the sound. For our
inal trick, we go in and try overbiasing the tape. This increases
saturation and reduces the high-frequency output, which is most
noticeable on the hi-hats and snare.

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 the pro producer’s guide to analogue / cover feature <

Deskmatters–virtualconsolesandbussingplugins
The whys and which is two plugins, Virtual Channel and Virtual
If you’re happy with the process of emulating
Mixbuss – now has six desk options, including
classic tape machines, the thought of emulating
wherefores of a desk’s bx_console
analogue mixing desks shouldn’t be at all SSL, Neve, API and Trident models. Brainworx
intimidating. In some respects, though, the whys ofers two SSL emulations plus a
model of a rare Neve VXS console. Given that
and wherefores of a desk’s behaviour are hard
behaviour are hard thisBrainworx,
to quantify. Analysing and emulating the
channels and output section individually is one
is owned by Dirk Ulrich, the CEO of
you’d expect to hear the company’s
to quantify
combines, blending those channels depending
famous modelling in full efect! Finally, Waves
thing, but creating a full-on model of how it all
NLS is three desks owned by three particular
producers: Mike Hedges’ EMI TG, Yoad Nevo’s
on signal levels and frequencies, couldn’t be
harder. And that’s before you get into the and part of Virtual Mix Rack), Waves’ NLS Non- Neve 5116, and Mark Stent’s SSL 4000G.
various operating modes and speciic signal Linear Summer or Scheps Omni Channel, Beyond all this, some plugins ofer crosstalk
paths of each individual desk. Sonimus Satson, the Brainworx bx_console for stereo instances, optional automatic gain
Desk plugins tend to ofer separate channel series. Not all of these plugins actually name the control and ganged grouping for easy
and buss versions, the idea being that you insert mixing desks they model, but most do allude to multichannel adjustment. Some of the extra
these on the irst insert point of each channel or them, so you can be reasonably certain of what features with VCC include level calibration,
buss respectively. Although this is not an you’re using, and that it will sound great. meter ballistics and oversampling settings,
exhaustive list, some great examples include Satson is the simplest, ofering one desk while Waves NLS includes more than 100
Slate Digital’s Virtual Console Collection (VCC option (essentially an SSL 4000 Series). VCC – discretely modelled channels for the collection.

> Step by step 2.Consoleemulation

1 We’ll use the channel and buss plugins from Slate Digital’s VCC –
part of the company’s Virtual Mix Rack – as they sit at the more
subtle end of the desk emulation spectrum. It’s best to start out mixing
with them in place, so the irst step is to load them into VMR and then
the irst insert slots of the channels and the master buss.
2 Virtual Mix Rack ofers an almost insane amount of processing in
one rack (pretty much all of Steven Slate’s plugins) so you can –
should you wish – have multiple classic consoles applied to one
channel or (here) the same console applied to two channels plus other
outboard loaded into VMR.

3 Now let’s try the various desk emulations. In this instance we’re
going for the upfront API desk (USA A from the six presets) on our
drums, with the Neve on everything else. On our master buss we opt
for the classic SSL mix buss (Brit4k). Ah, the awesomeness of being
able to combine desks.
4 Finally, it’s drive time. By using a group Drive control, we can adjust
diferent sets of sounds very quickly. The Drive control on VCC
simply changes the non-linear response without afecting the balance.
Having ramped up the channel Drive, we reduce the Drive slightly on
the master buss.

September 2022 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 21

 
 > back to basics / the pro producer’s guide to analogue
Otherwaystogetthat‘analogue’sound
As we’ve already noted, the analogue recording
path is pretty complex, with plenty of points at
which noise, distortion and non-linearities can
be introduced. So, once you’ve got things going
with some tape and desk emulations, there are
still various other things you can do to add
further analogue lavour.
For warmth and a good balance of harmonic
distortions (see Harmonic Distortions in the
Analogue Recording Chain, below), look for both
valve- and transformer-based plugins. For more
edgy sounds, seek out solid-state designs, and
don’t overlook emulations of classic outboard
gear – compressors and EQs, mainly.
As CPU power has increased, so have the
ambitions of plugin designers in terms of
accurately modelling all aspects of the analogue
path. So, if you know that a unit has a valve amp
section (the Pultec EQP1A, say), check to see if
the designer has included this in their plugin
emulation of it. The other thing to bear in mind
is that this process is additive, in the sense that
making small changes to many tracks of audio
will have a cumulative efect, so don’t go
hunting for massively coloured processors
when only subtle changes are called for.
Plugaway
As with the tape and desk emulations covered
on the previous pages, this is by no means an
exhaustive list, but here are a few suggestions to
For warmth and
get you started.
For valve sounds, Wave Arts Tube Saturator is meanwhile, boasts four analogue options –
a classic, free Mac plugin. Based on a 12AX7 transistor, transformer, tube and tape – each
valve, it models the two triodes in the 12AX7 to
emulate two cathode triode ampliiers, much balance of harmonic with individual drive, mix blend and grouping.
Another oldy in terms of its longevity (and,
like the preamp stage of a tube hi-i amp. At the
lowest drive level, it’s pretty clean with just a distortions, seek both yes, looks) but a very good performer is
Voxengo’s VariSaturator, which includes both
little harmonic distortion.
Next, SPL’s Twin Tube, another classic plugin.
Based on their hardware unit of the same name, valve and transformer valve and digital saturation, with split
processing between high and low bands.
Finally, we have to mention Slate Digital again
this one includes separate saturation and
harmonics circuits. The irst creates harmonic
distortion as you push it into distortion, while
based plugins and their Virtual Buss Compressors. With
extensive modelling of analogue non-linear
behaviour, there’s a certain ‘black box’ nature to
the latter adds harmonics at one of four speciic and transistor preamps. Of course, if you do these plugins that you have to experience to
frequencies (2, 3, 6 and 10kHz). Combining the want to ramp it up, all ive can deliver that too. fully appreciate.
two helps to fatten sounds and add air. While we’re on the subject of ramping it up, In fact the company’s Virtual Mix Rack is one
Although the name implies a level of iZotope’s Trash is designed for audible of the most elegant ways of combining
aggressiveness, SoundToys Decapitator can distortion, but can be tamed via its consoles, outboard, efects, you name it, in one
also be used in subtle ways. It includes ive waveshaper’s curve editor if you want simple solution – see our walkthrough on the
diferent lavours based on ive speciic valve something more subtle. Mellowmuse SATV, previous page for more on this.

Harmonicdistortionsintheanaloguerecordingchain
When we talk about the benefits gained rom dissonant against the undamental. Helpully, more complex and edgy, enhancing the
an analogue signal path, it’s the harmonic though, the amplitudes o these harmonics undamental. Transistor circuits generate
distortions that have the most obvious sonic tail of anyway. predominantly odd harmonics, while
efect. These are the harmonics that are When it comes to our analogue transormers produce both odd and even.
generated by the circuit and added to the components, harmonic distortions increase Magnetic tape recorders also produce
undamental requency, o which they’re as each component is driven, and it’s their both odd and even harmonics, although the
multiples, numbered sequentially. So the relative levels (odd versus even) that even ones tend to be less pronounced than
second harmonic is twice the undamental, influence the overall sound. those produced by a transormer. Finally,
the third harmonic three times, and so on. Typically, the even harmonic distortions valves typically put out a mixture o odd and
Viewing these rom a pitch perspective, it’s (second, ourth and so on) sound solid and even harmonics, although the onset o
only when you hit the seventh harmonic and complementary, attening up the saturation tends to be gradual – hence the
beyond that the multiples start to become undamental, while odd harmonics sound popularity o valves or driven sounds.

22 / COMPUTER MUSIC September 2022

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 the pro producer’s guide to analogue / cover feature <
> Step by step 3.Emulatingothertypesofanalogueprocessing

TUTORIAL
FILES

1 Our bass is solely a DI signal, and although we like the roundness, it

lacks character. Adding tube saturation by way of Wave Arts’ free
Tube Saturator, is a great way to mimic a decent amp, without having
to mic it. We get some efect at very low drive, but opt for a bit more
drive and some extra saturation. (Audio: Step 1a and Step 1b)
2 Our acoustic guitar sound has top-end sparkle and body but
seems to lack bite, sounding a bit weedy. By using a combination
of saturation and enhancement, courtesy of SPL’s Twin Tube, we can
bring back its presence. Here we’re dialling in the harmonics at 6kHz.

3 Saturation doesn’t come much better than by way of Soundtoys’

Decapitator. In truth we can apply it to most parts of our mix to
great efect – and are tempted to do just that. But as we say in the main
text, a little can often go a long way, so try applying some mid range
saturation to the electric guitar.
4 Our snare sounds a little too polite, and although we don’t go for
transistor distortion often, here it could be just the thing. First, we
dial in lots of drive to get the desired efect, then use the handy Mix
control on Mellowmuse’s SATV to blend in the desired balance. (Audio:
Step 4a and Step 4b)

5 Rather than head for EQ on our kick drum, we’re going to use a
combination of valve and solid-state saturation, courtesy of
Voxengo’s VariSaturator. We’ve positioned the crossover at 1kHz, using
valve saturation on the low frequencies and solid-state on the high
frequencies. The result is a more punchy kick.
6 The piano sound is pretty well balanced but lacks air and feels a bit
congested in the low mids. With an emulation plugin such as
Slate’s FGMu, we can take advantage of its analogue lavour without
actually compressing the signal at all. The result is a more open and
engaging piano sound. (Audio: Step 6a and Step 6b)

September 2022 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 23

 
 > back to basics / the pro producer’s guide to analogue

Bringingitalltogether
choices were less lexible than today – but as is In the days of
Back in the days of analogue, equipment In the walkthrough below we’re going to
bring everything together, taking our multitrack
the case in many areas of the digital world,
working in the software domain ofers the
musician almost too much choice. Keep your analogue, equipment of sounds and processing each element using
what we feel are the most appropriate
techniques. Along the way we’ll A/B the results
as there are plenty of sounds – particularly quiet choices were less
head, however, and this is actually a good thing, to hear what diference each change makes.
We’ll use our previous examples as a starting
or very dynamic ones – that really don’t beneit
from being recorded to analogue tape.
Noise, for example, was a big issue with
lexible than today’s point but stay open to adjusting these sounds as
needed – in essence, we’ll do whatever works
best for the overall picture.
classical recordings, as the music’s dynamic One of the most appealing beneits of plugin Finally, we’ll look at the master buss.
range really pushed the capabilities of analogue emulations, then, is that they not only put us in Although mastering is still the inal stage of
tape. It’s no surprise, then, that that particular control of the sound with far more precision production, any mix engineer worth their salt
sector of the industry shifted to digital recording than the original gear, but also that they let us will tell you that they’re already making pre-
technologies as soon as it could. You might also apply it ‘as needed’. This extends to controlling mastering decisions at the mix stage, using
have noticed that classic analogue desks, such parameters in far more detail than is possible in stereo compression and EQ, and, if available,
as those by SSL and Neve, incorporated gate/ the real world, including things like noise and mixing to half-inch tape. So, our inal stage will
expanders on every channel, with a view to hum, as well as tape levels, tape biasing and make use of a mastering tape machine for some
keeping tape hiss and other system noise at bay. drive levels in general. added analogue lavour.

> Step by step 4.Combininganalogueemulationtechniques

TUTORIAL
FILES

1 For our drums, we’ve gone for a favourite: Ampex 456 at 15ips by
way of the UA Studer 800 plugin. By ganging the plugins together
we’re driving the tape hard, which adds presence to the sound. The
kick is too squashed, so we ease back its input level into the plugin,
turning up its output to compensate. (Audio: Step 1a and Step 1b)
2 Now let’s add some bussing. We position these plugins straight
after the tape machine to emulate an analogue signal path. Once
again, grouping them makes things simple as we can increase the
drive across them easily. The Slate VCC Neve desk is working wonders
on the bottom end of the kick and snare, so we go with that.

3 Rather than head for a bass compressor, we load up a modern

rock-style setup for the tape. By driving this, we get just the right
containment for the bass. Then we load a plugin that we know
emulates the valve amp section – the IK Multimedia EQP1A. This gives
just a touch of upper-mid enhancement.
4 To give the piano a bit more lavour, we reach for a valve processor.
The key here is to add character without it ever sounding
distorted. The right tool for the job is Wave Arts’ free Tube Saturator,
which brings the sound together a bit and adds some edge, making
the piano sound less clinical. (Audio: Step 4a and Step 4b)

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 the pro producer’s guide to analogue / cover feature <

Although your Mac or PC ofers infinitely

more recording and mixing power than
this lot, there’s still an awul lot to be said
or that lush analogue sound

5 For the electric guitar part, we want more edge and some mid-
range crunch. Here you can experiment with your stock DAW
plugins like Phat FX from Logic, Magneto in Cubase or Ableton
Saturator in Live. 6 We’re taking a slightly diferent approach for the acoustic guitar,
with just a desk emulation. Driven pretty hard, the Trident-style
desk from the Slate Digital VCC adds brightness and presence to the
sound. (Audio: Step 6a and Step 6b)

7 Moving on to the master buss, we try a trick favoured by Tom Lord-

Alge, using FGRed from Slate Digital’s Virtual Buss Compressors
trio of plugins – but only for its transformer lavour. Thankfully, with its
dedicated control, we can add as much or as little of this as we like. 8 Our inal dollop of analogue glue comes courtesy of the half-inch
machine. This time we’re after the most hi-i option, so we go for
high-output tape – FG9 – at 30ips with Normal Bias. Note that the line-
up is not enhanced and we’re not driving the tape hard. (Audio: Step 8 –
whole mix before/after processing)

September 2022 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 25

 
 > cover feature / go analogue with the cm plugins

Go analogue on
a budget with
the Plugins
02
Use DeeMonitor CM for vintage mono efects

REIN IT IN WITH
DEEMONITOR CM
Over the following pages we’ll reveal This simple utility gadget from
Dotec-Audio ofers a handful of

how you can get perfect analogue

convenient monitoring tools that are designed
to help you get a better mix. Among them are
three diferent speaker simulations, including

dirt in your mixes, for free, using those based on Genelec, Auratone and Yamaha
NS10 monitors. The Auratone simulations are
great for imparting a less-than-pristine image to
plugins from the Computer Music your mixes. You can also use DeeMonitor CM to
solo left and right channels.

Plugin Suite. Here are some of the

Going further, this plugin can also act as a
mid/side utility – great for ‘monoising’ sounds.
When the Mid slider is halfway, the balance is

highlights of the Suite including

unchanged, but pushing it up favours the stereo
(sides) signal, and pushing it down leaves only

03
the mono information (the mid portion of

plenty of analogue-style superstars the signal).

01
AUDIFFEX STA
ENHANCER CM
Before computers democratised
recording, many would-be
engineers turned to the humble four-track
SUMMING cassette Portastudio. These all-in-one recorders
crammed four tracks onto 3.81mm of tape.
THINGS UP Needless to say, the high-end response was
FOR HEAT: less than stellar! As a result, many a home
recorder was forced to employ processors
SATSON CM like the Aphex Aural Exciter to inject some extra
high-frequency harmonics into their tracks
You may well see Sonimus’ before committing them to tape. The efect
was a slightly distorted, exaggerated high end
Satson and Britson plugins that (sort of) made up for the signal loss. It’s
worth a shot at recreating the efect using
over the next few pages. modern exciters and enhancers, such as the
lovely vintage setting to be found on Audiied
These and our own version, STA Enhancer CM.
Satson CM, are meant to be
used per-track and

04
Enhance highs in dull recordings with STA Enhancer CM
combined on your master
bus to subtly suggest the ACTING ON
cumulative effects of IMPULSE
Convolution reverbs are among
analogue mixing desk the most advanced efects
processors available. Unlike traditional
Put a Satson CM on every track or use it as
a one-of efect for adding brash distortion circuitry. They’re designed algorithmic reverbs that employ lots of jiggery-
pokery with delay lines to simulate acoustic
for subtle, under-the-radar spaces, a convolution reverb makes use of
sampled ‘impulse responses’ to model the
warmth, but we’ve often used a single Satson CM to acoustic response of existing spaces or
hardware devices. They needn’t be restricted to
add extra drive to a signal by pushing up the Gain. reverb – by their nature, convolution processors
Use utility plugins before and after to customise the can emulate any linear efect that can be
sampled. As such, they have become a very
drive amount, plus in and out levels. popular means to gain access to the sound of
rare or expensive equipment.
26 / COMPUTER MUSIC / September 2022

 
 go analogue with the cm plugins / cover eature <

05 PREAMP
PLEASURES
API-style modular
efects are all the rage
these days, putting a wide variety
o reasonably priced high-end
studio hardware within reach o
10
Graio CM ofers three slammin’ lavours of distortion

INCREASE THE AGGRO!

RP-Distort CM, Tek’it Audio CrossDr
CM, Audio Assault’s GrindMachine
CM, Mercuriall U530 CM. All of
these plugins ofer maximum distortion
destruction that can be used to simulate
the bedroom producer. So amiliar everything from overloaded mixer preamps
to guitar amps pushed beyond breaking point.
have the ‘500 series’ modules But distortion needn’t be restricted to guitar
tracks – slap any one of these plugins across
become that they’re being issued your drum mix for incendiary beats, or throw
’em into an insert on your vocal tracks for some
in virtual orm. Case in point: throatshredding 80s industrial screamfests.
Make ol’ Uncle OhGr proud!
Lindell Audio and their plugin
6X500 CM, a sotware recreation
o the company’s own hardware
preamp and EQ combo. Use it to
Get API character from add some analogue drive to any
6X-500 CM, even if you’re
just using the preamp track. Gorgeous!

07 IS THERE AN ECHO
IN HERE?
PSP Audioware have long
been masters of analogue
emulation, and their mastery is on full

11
display in PSP cmDelay. As efective a delay Rob Papen RP-Distort CM is a fullon distortion toolbox
as it may be, it turns out that we can kill the
echo and simply drive signals into its tape
style limiter for some magniicent magnetic DE-ESS TO IMPRESS
magic. Try it and you’ll be amazed at how your ToneBoosters’ Sibalance CM is a
tracks spring to life! Mind you, you shouldn’t sweet deesser with a few tricks up its

08
forget that it’s still an excellent echo box when sleeves; one of those tricks is a nifty
Could convolution be the solution to artiicial ageing? you need one. setting for removing the harsh high end in a
full mix. This works on overly brash or
As luck would have it, our own Reverberate KICKING THE digitalsounding individual tracks as well.
CM, from LiquidSonics, lets you lob in any HORNET’S NEST We’re particularly fond of throwing it over the

12
impulse you can ind (and you can ind plenty HoRNet’s Graio CM is a top of brittle drum overheads and earpiercing
online). Toss in a response from a favourite fantastic Swiss – or rather analogue drum machines.

06
vintage preamp, analogue console or tube EQ Italian – Army Knife for distorting your signals
for some instant vintage voltage. in a wide variety of ways, ofering bit reduction, THE SOFT PARADE
saturation, and an exciter in one sleek package. You probably already know that
PULTEC MAGIC It’s the latter two that’ll arouse your inner clipping a signal will cause it to take on
It’s the classic trick that helped retrofetishist – they can be a bit overthetop, the characteristics of a square wave – it
make the Pulse Techniques Pultec so a light touch is recommended, but the lattens the wave during the loudest bits. Soft
EQP-1A a legend: simultaneously results will be bursting with vintage vibe. Try it clipping, on the other hand, creates a less brutal

09
boosting and cutting the same frequencies. It on individual tracks or give a light sprinkling to lattening of the wave – the corners are rounded
sounds counterproductive, but because of the an entire mix. of, if you will. This commonly occurs when
shape of the Pultec’s boost and cut curves, they overdriving an analogue circuit and can be
don’t cancel each other out, instead working in THUMP ’N’ PUMP pleasant to the ear in small doses. D16 Group’s
tandem to tighten up and emphasise selected Ignite VST have provided us with Frontier limiter ofers some lovely analogue soft
frequencies. It’s really special on kick drums. Use a dynamite dynamics plugin in clipping. If you haven’t tried it, get on it!
our own Program EQ CM to try it for yourself. the form of Vice One. This
Another famous Pultec trick? Don’t EQ – just run righteous red rocker is a kittedout compressor
your signal through that gorgeous tube circuit! that can help tame wayward dynamics. It also
ofers a superb analoguesounding signal path
that can be tapped when things are beginning
to sound a little too inthebox. It sounds as
expensive as it looks, but lucky you, you get it
Need a Pultec EQ? We’ve got one in Plugins! for free! Soft clipping is added to Frontier’s limiting talents

September 2022 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 27

 
 > cover feature / analogue workshops with the cm plugins
> Step by step Thecommondistortiontypesandhowthey’reused

TUTORIAL
FILES

1 A huge part of the analogue sound is

really all about distortion. Let’s take an
audio tour of its many lavours and
varieties. Tape saturation combines
transient smoothing, compression and
soft signal distortion to progressively glue
2 Like tape, valve saturation
progressively adds harmonics in a
musically pleasing way, with distinct
colouration. Triode valves generate
largely even harmonics, while pentode
circuits give odd ones, often considered
3 Many types of distortion employ
clipping behaviour, but when we talk
about clipping in music production, we’re
usually referring to basic hard and soft
clipping. While pure digital clipping can
sound harsh, a dedicated soft/hard clipper
and fatten. Emulations often apply EQ and less musical, but deeper and richer. can reduce peaks invisibly when used
simulated tape hiss and lutter. It’s great Saturation is usually used subtly, rather moderately. In the mix, it’s useful for
for warmth and ‘glue’, and can be applied than pushed to the point of obvious keeping signal levels in check, and great
to every track. distortion – though it’s always an option! for transient-heavy sources.

4 Guitar overdrive pedals like the Ibanez

Tube Screamer apply mild distortion,
often coupled with EQ/iltering and a level
boost, all designed to overload the input
of the ampliier they’re connected to,
adding aggression to a sound which could
5 Fuzz is basically very strong clipping,
usually used as a guitar efect. It adds
harmonic distortion and massive sustain,
and obliterates dynamics. A ilter to roll of
the treble can make it more versatile. One
of the all-time classic fuzz boxes, Electro-
6 Confusingly, there is a distortion type
called ‘distortion’, derived from the
world of guitar pedals. Most associated
with heavy guitar music like punk and
metal, distortion may incorporate multiple
EQ, iltering and clipping stages, arranged
already be quite ‘hot’. Heard in isolation, it Harmonix’s Big Muf – of which Universal and tuned to give extreme results while
has a basic, crunchy timbre that retains Audio’s Bermuda Triangle is a great retaining articulation. Unlike overdrive,
dynamics – halfway between the subtlety emulation – has just three controls: distortion pedals are intended to largely
of saturation and all-out distortion. Sustain, (output) Volume and Tone (ilter). create the distorted tone by themselves.

7 Guitar distortion heard on its own can

sound very izzy and harsh. The guitar
sounds we’re used to hearing come from a
microphone placed in front of a speaker
cabinet in a real room, all three of which
heavily colour the frequency response. So,
8 Bit-depth reduction gives us the
crunchy sound of old-school sampling
and vintage home computers. It adds grit
and edge, which can help sounds cut
through busy mixes. It also adds a hissing
sound, noticeable on signals like reverb
9 Sample-rate reduction decreases the
temporal ‘resolution’ of the digital
signal. The most recognisable result is a
kind of atonal ringing with a metallic edge.
You can roughly tune this ringing by
changing the sample rate, or modulate it
for an authentic tone, these aspects must tails, so you might want to gate signals for distinctive rifs and digital efects.
be simulated too, and many plugins ofer before bitcrushing, and to apply reverb Modulation of the sample rate is often
this. We can switch the cabinet simulation afterwards. Unless that’s the old-school, used as a sound efect in modern
on and of to hear the diference it makes. sampled vibe you’re after! sci-i soundtracks.

28 / COMPUTER MUSIC / September 2022

 
 
 > cover feature / analogue workshops with the cm plugins
Level,EQanddistortion
When working with distortion processors, it’s post-distortion signal down a fair bit to match do the levels of individual frequencies. By EQing
vital to consider your levels and gain staging at the level of the unprocessed signal – this is why a signal before it enters the distortion device,
both the input and output stages. When we look most distortion plugins feature a bypass button you can afect particular frequencies to control
at the basic relationship between gain and and output gain/trim parameters. the distortion response, and control which
distortion it’s simple: raise a signal’s gain into a Just as overall level impacts the distortion frequencies the added harmonics are generated
distortion plugin (by turning up its output, using response at both the input and output stages, so from. This can be used in a corrective sense – if a
the distortion device’s ‘input gain’ parameter, or particular frequency in the source signal is
a combination of both), and the waveform will generating nastiness in the distortion, for
be clipped, shaped or otherwise altered. At the
other end, the distorted signal that emerges You can afect example – or for creative uses, such as pushing
speciic frequencies into the drive stage.
will typically sound far louder than the
undistorted signal. particular requencies On the lip side, EQing post-distortion is a
handy way to ‘clean up’ emphasised
In practice, then, there are two key points for
the producer to bear in mind: irstly, the level of to control the frequencies, which is often useful in a corrective
sense, subduing any unpleasantness the
distortion response
your input (ie, your pre-distortion signal) will distortion has introduced. Combined with pre-
greatly afect the distortion response; and EQ distortion, a vast array of timbres can be
secondly, you’ll almost always need to turn your coaxed from even the simplest clipper.

> Step by step EQanddistortion

TUTORIAL
FILES

1 Let’s explore the relationship between

pre- and post-distortion EQ. Load
[Link] on an audio track in a
new 110bpm project. We’re using Live as
our host, but you can follow the principles
in any DAW. Insert Graio CM, turn of the
2 Load an instance of Live’s EQ Eight
device, being sure to place it before
Graio CM in the chain. On the EQ’s
analyser, we can see that the majority of
the loop’s energy is focused around the
low and low-mid regions. It igures that it’s
3 Highlight both EQ Eight and Graio
CM in the chain, then hit Ctrl/Cmd-G to
group them into an Audio Efect Rack.
Let’s set up the EQ so it will pull down
these heavy low frequencies: activate EQ
Eight’s irst band, leave it set to a low shelf,
Exciter and Bit Reducer modules, then these frequencies that are pushing then set the band’s Frequency to 120Hz
crank the Saturator’s Gain knob to 25dB, hardest into the distortion. and Q to 0.5.
and pull the output Level knob back to
-11.5dB. We can improve this fuzzy efect
with a combination of pre- and post-EQ.

4 By assigning the level of our low shelf

cut to a single macro knob, we’ll be
able to control other parameters with the
same macro. Right-click band 1’s Gain
knob and select Map To Macro 1, then
head into the Rack’s Macro Mapping
5 Now the EQ’s low shelf band is pulled
down when we turn up Macro 1 – and
we can use this same macro to apply an
opposing low-shelf boost after the
distortion plugin. Duplicate the EQ Eight
instance and place this copy after Graio
6 Now, turning up Macro 1 will
simultaneously pull down a low shelf
cut pre-distortion, and boost the same
frequencies post-distortion. This tames
the heavy low frequencies entering the
distortion stage and boosts them back
editor and set this parameter’s Minimum CM in the chain (within the Rack), then again after, retaining their weight and
to 0dB and its Maximum to -9dB. open the Macro Mapping Editor and set smoothing out the efect. To inish, head
this EQ’s Minimum to 0dB and Maximum into Graio CM and adjust settings to taste
to 9dB. to tailor the response to your liking.

30 / COMPUTER MUSIC / September 2022

 
 
 > cover feature / analogue workshops with the cm plugins
> Step by step EmulatinganaloguegearwithfilteringandEQ

TUTORIAL
FILES

1 It can be tempting to ladle on every

last analogue-modelled plugin you’ve
got in the quest for a warm and punchy
mixdown… but you can push your mix in
that direction with simple EQ and iltering
tricks inspired by analogue gear. Start by
2 The drums in this mix have too much
treble information, so add a Satson CM
to the Drums track and set Low Pass to 7
to smooth away the top-end digital
harshness. Set High Pass to 2 to tighten
the low end, controlling the excess sub
3 The drums are more focused, but we’d
like to unify the bottom end with the
bass guitar. Using graphs of tape machine
frequency responses, we can mimic them
using EQ. There are plenty of graphs at
[Link]/graphs – we base ours on the
loading the WAVs named ‘ProgFunk…’ on lab. Satson CM’s gentle 6dB ilters are Ampex MM1200 2-inch 16-track, using a
audio tracks in a 132bpm project, then perfect for these tasks, and we’ll be using high-pass at 46Hz with a Q of 0.90, and an
loop them (this demo isn’t in 4/4 time). them subtly throughout the mix. AnaPeak band at 140Hz, -2.0dB, 2.4Q.

4 Now copy both the Satson CM and the

EQ to the Bass channel, to give it the
same lavour. We don’t need Satson CM to
be quite as aggressive on the bass, so set
High Pass to 1 and Low Pass to 9. The bass
track sounds good, but it’s focused more
5 Add another IIEQ Pro CM on the bass
track. This time we’ll recreate the
famous low-end trick associated with
vintage Pultec EQ units. Set Bands 1 and 2
to Low Shelf, both at 200Hz, then boost
with 1 and cut with 2 by 10dB. The result
6 The bands create a sub bass boost and
a lower mid cut, giving huge perceived
bass and warmth. You can adjust settings
separately to hone the efect. Copy Satson
CM and the tape-curve IIEQ Pro CM from
the Bass track to the remaining tracks
on the upper midrange than it is on is… a lat EQ curve that does nothing to the (including the master), then inalise with
serious bass frequencies, so let’s tackle sound! Kinda pointless, right? Now hit the your favourite analogue-style EQ, tape sim
that next… Series button to switch to Parallel mode. and compression on the master bus.

Fiveclassicanalogue-styleEQs

SoundToys Sie-Q Slate Digital PSP Audioware Sonimus Sly-Fi Axis

$99 Virtual Mix Rack ClassicQ Burnley 73 $99
Clearly not content to slap 214 » 9/10 » £129 $69 cm226 » 10/10 » $59 An of-shoot of the main Kush
their name on yet another No roster of analogue EQs Developers might be ixated The Neve 1073 is one of the brand, Sly-Fi’s ‘triple-mode’ EQ
1073 or Pultec clone, would be complete without on recreating gear from all-time greats, comprising a is inspired by the sound of
Soundtoys’ irst EQ plugin an SSL-alike, and FGS is one of big-name brands like SSL, preamp with incredible- two classic API hardware
recreates the W295b EQ the inest, found in Slate API and Neve emulations, sounding drive and powerful, equalisers, switchable with
module from a 60s Siemens Digital’s Virtual Mix Rack but Polish DSP veterans muscular EQ. With a spot-on the A/B setting. A third mode,
Sitral console. Improvements package. It works just like the PSP picked out a British Amek sound and smart modern UBK, does away with the
include fully sweepable gain real thing, with a high-pass EQ as the inspiration for additions like band bypass, stepped frequency and gain
rather than stepped ilter, low and high shelves ClassicQ. It features saturation pop-up parameter labelling, selectors, allowing completely
selections, and adjustable switchable to bell shapes, and and a switchable transformer and level-compensated drive, smooth adjustment. The star
drive for adding juicy two midrange peaking ilters. simulation for subtle- this recreation from Sonimus of the show, though, is the
analogue saturation. Powerful, clean and musical. sounding low-end bloom. is hard not to recommend. sumptuous saturation.
[Link] [Link] [Link] [Link] [Link]
32 / COMPUTER MUSIC / September 2022

 
 analogue workshops with the cm plugins / cover feature <
> Step by step Sendingsoundsbackintimefortheultimateanaloguejourney

TUTORIAL
FILES

1 Let’s go all-out and send a pristinely

recorded production more than a
century back in time. Music production
was in its infancy, and recordings were
made acoustically, channelling sound
waves down a funnel or tube to vibrate a
2 To get started, load OldLoop [Link] in
an 85bpm project and loop it – we’re
going to use free Plugins to recreate
those turn of the 20th-century vibes. First
things irst: put a monoising plugin (such
as DeeMonitor with Mid at 0%) on the
3 Bass and treble were practically non-
existent in antique recordings. To
mimic this, place a Philta CM next on the
master bus with Lowpass at 3000Hz and
Highpass at 300Hz. Set both Slopes to
48dB for a brutally sharp cutof. You may
mechanical cutter pressed on the rotating master bus, as the irst recordings were need to ine-tune the exact ilter settings
cylinder or disc. Playback used the same strictly mono. to suit the sound source, but this is a good
principle, but in reverse – there were no starting point.
microphones, mixers, amps, or speakers!

4 Next, we’ll recreate the poor dynamic

range and distortion performance of
wax and shellac mediums. Add Premix CM
before Philta CM (placing it after would
reintroduce frequencies that the ilter has
shaved of), and increase Gain to 3 o’clock,
5 Mechanical audio playback is prone to
wow and lutter – variations in
playback speed afecting timing and pitch.
We can recreate this with a modulated
delay line. Add PSP Audioware cmDelay
before PreMix CM. Click its Dry label to
6 Now turn LFO Depth up to maximum,
and dial in the LFO Rate to set up a
slow wow or a rapid lutter as you prefer
– we set it to the maximum value of 15 for
lutter. Pull LFO Depth down when you’re
done – 75 is enough for us. If you want
setting Output to 9 o’clock to compensate. disable the dry part of the sound, and click wow and lutter, just use two cmDelays in
To give the loop more presence, you can the Filters label to turn of the ilters. Set series, with diferent settings.
boost the Mid and High knobs to taste. the Delay Time to 5ms and FB to 0.

POWER TIP
>Andin
reverseorder…
You may have noticed that we created
most of our retro processing chain in
reverse order, from end to beginning.
This is because the processing is so
extreme that we need to hear how each
stage will be afected by the next in the
chain as we’re dialling it in. For example,
you might select a noise loop full of

7 8
sizzling trebly hiss and bassy hum that
We use sidechain compression to sounds great on its own, but once you
What retro recreation would be apply aggressive top-and-tail iltering,
complete without noise, clicks and make OldLoop1 duck with each of those elements will be all but silenced.
pops? Put Vinyl [Link] and Tape [Link] on Vinyl 1’s pops and clicks, and to make Therefore, you’d need to audition a few
new tracks, disable any tempo-synced Tape 1 duck in response to OldLoop1. loops with the ilter in place to ind ones
looping/warping options, then loop or Have fun running other sounds through that cut through the processing.
duplicate the clips. The idea is that the this processing chain and trying diferent
loops do not restart with each bar, as real tape/noise loops. Don’t forget to dial in
mechanical noise would be unpredictable. plugin parameters such as ilter cutof
Adjust the tape and noise levels to taste. frequencies to suit your sound source.

September 2022 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 33

 
 > cover feature / analogue workshops with the cm plugins
Saturationinthemix
Saturation is a deining factor in ‘that analogue Each saturation device afects harmonics,
sound’. It can make sounds fat and beefy, transients and dynamics diferently, and getting
smooth and warm, or crunchy and edgy. to know yours will help you pick the right one.
Placed strategically on single tracks and buses, For example, transformers saturate more at low
it can produce a more cohesive mix. frequencies. Since transformers are found in the
The most obvious efect is the addition of input and output stages of much classic gear,
harmonic content, most easily heard on sounds the accumulation of distortion can signiicantly
that don’t have much to begin with, such as warm your bottom end.
subby sine basses. By adding upper harmonics, Where you place saturation can make a
a deep bass that vanishes on smaller speaker profound diference. There are no concrete
systems magically becomes audible. Generally, rules, but it generally works well at the start
transistor distortion adds sharpness and crunch, of the chain, perhaps after corrective EQ.
and valve and tape are associated with warmth. For heavier saturation, placing compression
Sharp transients can be bothersome, but irst gives more consistent distortion. Saturation
saturation can efectively control them. Used It’s often best to add saturation early in the signal chain placed on group and master buses can add
gently, it can invisibly reduce peaks, gaining cohesion, but beware that more complex input
headroom, while stronger settings audibly Saturation is also a form of dynamic control, signals result in increased intermodulation
soften and ‘smoosh’ transients while retaining attenuating loud parts of the signal. Tape in distortion, which is pretty unmusical. This is why
– even emphasising – lower punch and impact. particular has squashy, compressionlike single notes distort nicely while chords generate
Try it on ticky hihats for an audible example. qualities, as do some valve saturations. mush and noise.

> Step by step Stackingsaturationforapunchiermixdown

TUTORIAL
FILES

1 By using multiple stages of gentle

saturation throughout a mix, you can
add irmness, density and texture. Start by
loading the WAVs ‘HipHop…’ onto audio
tracks in a 95bpm project. Let’s start with
the bass – solo it and you’ll hear that it’s
2 On the bass track, add an analyser
plugin like Vengeance’s Scope CM in
Spectrum mode to see the single
harmonic of the bassline. Add 6X-500 CM
before it and increase Gain as shown. This
preamp transistor distortion adds odd
3 Next we try Slate Digital’s Virtual Tape
Machines, which adds a strong third
harmonic, along with tape artefacts like
hiss. This one works best for us, with Input
set to +15dB. Even this fairly mild saturation
beneits our bassline, as the added
basically a sine wave. There’s an extra four harmonics. Now bypass it and do the harmonics make it audible on sound
bars on the bass track containing one same with Premix CM – we can see that systems that can’t fully reproduce the
sustained note, which we can use as a test this valve sim adds plenty of even deep fundamental tone.
signal for frequency analysis. harmonics, too.

4 Now solo the snare track and add

Soundtoys Decapitator to it. Despite
the brutal name, it gives great preamp
style saturation if you don’t overdo it. Set
Drive to 5 and click through the ive
distortion Styles (A, E, N, T and P) to hear
5 The distortion has had two undesirable
efects: the snare is louder and its
transient not as punchy. To ix it, pull
Output down to 4dB to compensate for
the level change, and pull down Mix to
85% (click the knob labels to show their
6 On the kick drum, we use Decapitator
once again, with Drive at 3, 85% Dry/
Wet, and Style A, modelling an Ampex 350
tape preamp. Next, route tracks 1-5 to a
group bus so we can glue them together
with more saturation with Slate Digital’s
their diferences – hear how they respond values) to blend some of the dry, Virtual Tape Machines, with Input at 9dB.
dynamically, too. We like mode T, a triode undistorted signal back in. This parallel For a inal touch, we use a tape emulation
valve sim – pull Drive back to 2.5 for a distortion technique is very useful for on the master bus. The end result is a
more subtle efect. preserving punch. deeper, fatter, more analogue mix.
34 / COMPUTER MUSIC / September 2022

 
 analogue workshops with the cm plugins / cover feature <

> Step by step Essentialnoiselayering

Threeofthe
bestvinyland
noiseplugins

TUTORIAL AudioThing Vinyl Strip

FILES 226 » 9/10 » $59
This well-equipped channel strip is a must-have

1 2
tool for injecting old-school lavour and vibe
Back in the day, producers were This technique isn’t rocket science: into your channels. Of Vinyl Strip’s six
desperate to remove the ever-present drop a sample of noise onto an audio reorderable modules (which include drive,
noise outputted by analogue equipment, track, load the noise sample into a sampler compression, sampler crunch, tone tilting and
but nowadays the lack of it can expose a for MIDI playback, or insert a dedicated reverb), our favourite is the fully stocked Vinyl
sound as overly pristine and ‘digital’. The noise-outputting plugin on a track (see to section, for mixing in customisable vinyl noise
solution? Blend analogue hiss, hum or the right for three of our faves). Use the and crackle into the mix.
noise signals (or all of the above) track’s volume fader to mix the noise in to [Link]
alongside your shiniest sounds to fake an taste – ind the point where it’s not too
analogue aesthetic! We’ll start with this overpowering in the mix, but is missed
digital-sounding track. when muted.

Vengeance-Sound VPS Vinylizer

214 » 9/10 » £85 (bundle)
Part of the Vengeance-Sound’s VPS

3 4
Essential FX Bundle 2, this virtual ‘ageing’
A consistent stream of noise can There’s just something about the toolkit places a plethora of noise-outputting
sound jarring, so help your noise warm, dusty sound of a sample ripped generators at your ingertips. Dial in noise
interact with drums and rhythmic from vinyl! To make this clap sound like it’s hum, rumble, crackle and scratches; customise
material. In this example, the peaks of the been lifted from a record, we use the clap’s tone and density; and even change the speed
main drum beat are triggering subtle MIDI note to trigger a vinyl crackle sample of your virtual record, and switch between
sidechain compression over the noise, layer. The rhythms within pops and clicks line/phono inputs.
giving it gentle movement. For cohesion, can add lavour to a groove, so move the [Link]
route the channel into your drum bus, so it sample start point around until you ind
gets processed with the rest of the beats. the perfect snippet of skip.

iZotope Vinyl
FREE
Throw this fantastic freebie on a track to place it
onto a virtual record deck, complete with all the

5 6
artefacts associated with the medium. You can
As we’ve mentioned, diferent types of Here’s a rif from our Bazille CM synth, crank up your warp speed, hum, dust, wear,
noise used to build up and compound and an analogue hiss signal from mechanical noise and age, meaning that you
due to the combined analogue signals and AudioThing VinylStrip. A gate plugin is don’t have to use it just for simulating the quirks
circuits in an all-hardware studio. So, for a loaded on the hiss channel, and the rif of the vinyl medium. Vintage vibes incoming!
truly analogue-sounding mix, pile up signal is fed into the gate’s sidechain input. [Link]
diferent types of noise signals on various The gate quickly opens over rif transients,
channels. We’ve added a hum signal into adding tiny bursts of noise at the start of
the mix using iZotope Vinyl. each note, ‘ageing’ the modern sound.

September 2022 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 35

 
 > cover feature / analogue workshops with the cm plugins

> Step by step Creatingpitch-waveringanaloguechords

TUTORIAL
FILES

1 Let’s reverse-engineer the

imperfections of an old analogue
synth and create warm, retro chords
using Plugins and a little know-how.
Call up Synapse Audio’s Dune CM on a
new MIDI track in your DAW, hit its Bank B
2 The oscillator section’s Osc Mix knob
is fully anticlockwise by default, giving
us a simple single-oscillator sawtooth.
First, we’ll use an LFO to slowly modulate
the pitch of this oscillator, to emulate the
unstable pitch drift and inconsistency of
3 This pitch modulation is way too fast,
so head over to the LFO section and
set LFO 1’s Rate to the minimum 0.1Hz.
This LFO is currently set to a Sine shape,
which is a little formulaic – switch the
shape to the bottom random type
button to initialise the synth, and drop an analogue oscillator. Head into the Mod for more unpredictable pitch wavering.
Retro [Link] onto this MIDI channel Matrix 1>12 tab, then set row 2’s Source to Next, turn the Noise oscillator’s Level up to
to trigger the synth. Plonk a limiter on the LFO 1, an Amount of -10, and a Destination a subtle 6% for slight top-end sizzle.
master bus to prevent clipping. of Osc 1 Fine.

4 Our patch’s pitch now has a subtle

‘beating’ character, yet its timbre is
still rather bright and digital-sounding
– but instead of reaching for an obvious
EQ or ilter, let’s use the fantastic PSP
cmDelay (again, free in Plugins) to add
5 As we only want to hear the wet signal,
click on the Output » Dry header to
deactivate the dry signal. Now we’ll shape
the chords’ tone with cmDelay’s high- and
low-pass ilters – by default, these are
band-passing our sound a little too much,
6 The tape delay-emulating cmDelay
features an LFO for modulating the
Delay Time, which in turn modulates the
pitch of the delays – an efect we can use
to add further subtle pitch ‘warbling’ to
our synth chords. Crank up the LFO Depth
a bit of darkness, pitch modulation and so dial back the low-pass knob to 20Hz knob to 80, then set a fast Delay Time of
analogue warmth. Load up a new instance and high-pass to 10kHz. Push Input Gain around 0004. Now alter the LFO Rate to
on the Dune CM channel. up to 4dB to level the output against the taste – we like a setting of between 0.5Hz
unprocessed signal. and 1Hz. Very Boards of Canada!

7 For ambience, load a fresh cmDelay

on a new aux return track, then send
the Dune CM channel to the return by
0dB. Deactivate cmDelay’s Dry signal,
then set a 130ms Delay Time and
Feedback (FB) of around 88. Pan the main
8 As we’ve explored elsewhere, hum
and noise layers are great for adding
the illusion of real analogue lavour within
a mix. Drop Hum and [Link] – a
combined audio bounce of system hum
and an analogue noise loor – onto a new
9 For some gentle gluing saturation,
insert HoRNet’s Graio CM on the
group, and set Saturator Gain to 8dB
and output Level to -3dB. To inish,
we’ll load Satson CM after Graio CM
before pulling its Low Pass knob back to
synth channel slightly out to 6L, then pan audio channel. Route the chords and noise 3 o’clock, removing any trace of treble and
the delay return channel to 35R. Voila – to a new group channel, remove the digital harshness. To inish, A/B between
simple, retro-style width without any chords’ delay send, then pipe the entire the init Dune CM patch and the inal sound
glossy widening techniques! group to the delay aux by 0dB. to hear the obvious ageing!

36 / COMPUTER MUSIC / September 2022

 
 
 
 tutorials <

Become a better producer now

with pro advice, expert videos and
audio examples from our gurus

Synth
40 Go-getting bass
with Zebra CM
Dave Gale becomes Dave Guetta
Masterclass and getsa go-getting bass from your
with Dave Gale favourite free synth, Zebra CM

Production
42 Creating the
perfect bass
Ashley Thorpe continues his bass
with Ashley Thorpe odysseyand creates the perfectbass
sound for every occasion

September 2022 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 39

 
 Synth
masterclass
with Dave Gale
#17
Zebra CM go-getta bass
Creating a square bass with movement is a cool commercial trick.
DOWNLOAD
Download the accompanying
video and the MIDI/audio iles at
[Link]/computermusic

Let’s widen the pulse of Zebra CM’s oscillators, David Guetta-style

If there’s one thing that has to be A recent example would be David Guetta, so we have sought to create a very similar
abundantly obvious, when it comes to Becky Hill and Ella Henderson’s Crazy What Love sound, but using a more orthodox and
contemporary music production, not all Can Do, where we hear a bass sound that began simplistic approach.
bass sounds are equal. While many producers life as a good old-fashioned square wave, but Our main thrust here is that by working with
still yearn for the classic bass sounds mutated into a sound with morphing our Zebra CM plugin, we can use a primary
produced by Minimoogs, 101s and 106s, tendencies. There are a few ways that we could oscillator with a degree of modulation across
software provides the ideal portal to seek to emulate this style of sound, which the wave shape. We can then underpin this by
creating substantial and impressive bass, includes the use of oscillator sync; this method using a traditional sub oscillator, generated by
inviting modulation for movement can be pretty variable, as results are entirely our second oscillator. The result is incredibly
and interest. dependent on the choice of synthesiser, appealing. So let’s go-getta bass!

>Step by step Create a go-getta bass

1 We’ll begin by initialising a patch on

the ZebraCM. Load your DAW with a
copy of Zebra CM on a spare instrument
channel. Locate the central display at the
top of the plugin, which also acts as a
menu dropdown, and select Init from the
2 Before we begin creating our sound, it
will be worth reducing the Master
volume, so that we don’t overpower the
instrument channel as we are creating. As
a reminder, when you change the value of
a pot, the parameter value will be
3 Now we can begin to shape our sound.
We’ll begin with Osc1 and change the
waveform to a hybrid of a square and
triangle wave. Click and hold on the
waveform itself, and drag upwards until
you see the value of 2.60 in the upper
bottom of the menu list. This will initialise displayed in the upper display. In the case display. While we’re here, we also want to
the patch. of our Master, reduce the volume level to a change the volume of the Osc1 to a value
value of 50. of 130.

4 Staying within the Osc1 section, we

want to set some modulation in the
direction of the Osc1 waveform. We do this
by assigning the pot below the wave icon
to Env2, which you will see in the
dropdown menu below the pot. Once
5 Next, we can switch our allegiance to
Osc2, where we need to make some
very similar settings. We will start with the
waveform itself, setting this to a value of
2.40. This should give us a square/triangle
hybrid wave. Then move to the Volume
6 Osc2 will be operating as a sub
oscillator. Consequently we do not
want the lower tone to overpower the
upper tone, which is why we reduced the
volume in the previous step. However, we
do still need to alter its pitch, by dropping
assigned, decrease the value of the pot for the oscillator, and reduce the it by -12 semitones. To fatten the texture
pot, to a number of -1.10, as seen in the volume to a value of 74. even further, drop the Detune pot to a
upper display. value of -1.

40 / COMPUTER MUSIC / September 2022

 
 zebra cm go-getta bass / synth masterclass <

PRO TIP
Dave Gale
Dave Gale is an Emmy
BASS, IN ITS PLACE! award-winning media
Creating a great bass sound is of course only worst over-inlate the bottom end of your composer, producer
part of the production picture, but let’s ask track. Hence, it has become a time-honoured and orchestrator, with
ourselves exactly why this is, and why it is a feature of commercial tracks to scoop out the an enormous passion
very wise idea to try and help the bottom end very bottom end of your drum track, where for synthesisers, in all
of your track? If you’ve ever been in the your bass drum or kick partly resides, in order their forms. His varied
vicinity of a large PA system at a gig, or some to populate this point in the frequency composing style
form of subwoofer/bass bin, you don’t need spectrum with a greater degree of embraces everything
us to tell you that bass frequencies are potent. frequencies from your bass sound. We are from full orchestral
The problem is, from the perspective of typically talking about frequencies from and hybrid scoring, to
production and mixing, placing similar bass around 80 to 200Hz, and with practice, this fully electronic scores, employing
frequencies in close proximity, across subtle and easy solution can provide a far synths wherever possible. He also
channels or instruments, is likely to at best more coherent bottom end of your track, with happens to own some of the inest
manifest confusion in the bottom end, and at the mere addition of a little bit of EQ. synths in existence but we’re not
jealous, OK?

7 Having set our oscillators, our next

point of call will be the ilter section.
We are going to use the LP 12dB ilter type,
which is a particularly beefy 2-pole ilter
and is ideal for bass sounds. If you don’t
have this selected already, simply do so
8 We need to adjust the ilter, by altering
the cutof frequency control. Set the
Cutof pot to a value of 62, which should
reduce the upper brightness that we are
currently hearing quite considerably.
9 In order to engineer some of that
snappy brightness up front, we are
going to use Env2 to modulate our cutof
frequency, as well as the wave shape in
Osc1. Using the assignable pot within the
Filter section, select Env2 from the
from the dropdown menu. dropdown menu, before setting a value
of 45.

10 Now we need to adjust our envelope

phases. Beginning with Env1, set the
Attack pot to 0, Decay pot to 50, Sustain
pot to 80 and inally the Release pot to 20.
Env1 is the envelope that will be
controlling the volume, or amplitude, of
11 Env2 will be controlling modulation,
and we need to set the Attack pot to a
value of 0, Decay pot to 37, Sustain pot to
0 and inally the Release pot to 22. Notice
the relatively fast decay phase, coupled
with zero sustain, which will give us the
12 That is pretty much it for the sound
itself, but don’t forget to apply some
bottom end EQ, alongside some relatively
heavy compression. Given the aggressive
front-end-bite that we have in the sound,
compression will help to sustain the sound
our overall sound. snappiness that we require, at the front of in context, providing the perfect
each note played. foundation for your track, while placed
alongside drums.

September 2022 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 41

 
 Production
masterclass
with Ashley Thorpe
#6
Getting a great bass tone
In this tutorial you’ll learn how to get a great sound for DOWNLOAD

your bass, straight from your audio interface

Download the accompanying
video and the MIDI/audio iles at
[Link]/computermusic

In a previous tutorial I talked about some which is what we’re going to focus on in this amp emulation now has to ofer. Want some
of the beneits of recording a clean month’s tutorial. lange or fuzz on that bass? Go ahead. Need it to
bassline through an audio interface. It If you’re anything like me, you’ll have a home growl? No problem at all.
certainly cuts down on the amount of studio setup with several diferent instruments I’ll walk you through how to achieve the
equipment that you’ll need to record from at the ready. I’ve scaled down on certain things most authentic, or just the most appealing, bass
home. And now, music production over time as I’m not playing live for the tones for a variety of diferent amp/cab types to
technology is easily at a level where listeners foreseeable, so ampliiers were the irst to go – help musicians working in various diferent
would never even be able to tell whether allowing me to make space. I can still put in a genres. I’m primarily a Logic Pro X user, but the
you’ve recorded with a bunch of efects recorded performance, just as I would as a principles discussed here can just as easily be
pedals and an amp in a studio, or you’ve studio guest, but I’m in total control of shaping applied to any amp modulation plugins. So, let’s
just emulated the efects using plugins – the clean recording thanks to everything that get stuck in…

>Step by step Create a great bass tone with stock plugins

1 First things irst, record your pass

parts into Logic. You can use Logic’s
input monitor to check your levels are
coming out OK. You don’t want your signal
to be too hot (have too much gain) or too
low (meaning that when you raise the
2 Make sure that the level of your
recorded audio sits at about -12dB.
When we add compression and amp
modulation, the volume will increase, so
we just want to make sure there’s plenty of
headroom. Adjust as necessary by gain
3 Next add the amp simulator to your
track. Audio efects>Amps and pedals
>Bass amp designer. With this you can
then switch through the list of default
settings to ind the ultimate sound you
need, or just have a solid starting point.
level in the DAW you’ll also add noise). staging (raising or lowering the gain) if
you’ve recorded too quiet or too loud.

4 This amp designer is incredibly

powerful for a stock plugin. You can
mix and match amps and cabs however
you want; you can select your virtual
microphone placement to lighten or
darken the sound. You can even select a
5 Use the dropdown in the top left of the
plugin to select the sound you desire. I
recommend just having a listen through in
the irst instance until you ind something
that’ll make a good starting point. You
might even get lucky and ind just the
6 For this tutorial I’m going for a classic
funk/RnB sound with my bass tone.
I’m using the Big Stack factory setting as a
starting point. This has a nice, deep bass
tone but also a little bit of low mid
presence to capture the subtleties of what
DI box setting and blend as much as you right thing from the of! I’m playing. It’s still not quite right, but
like in. we’ll adjust it to make it so.

42 / COMPUTER MUSIC / September 2022

 
 bass tones / production masterclass <

PRO TIPS
Ashley Thorpe
TOOLS OF THE TRADE Ashley Thorpe (aka
Breezewax) is a
[Link] KOMPLETE GUITAR RIG 6 producer and musician
This site has numerous – NATIVE INSTRUMENTS who has created
summer deals on at the I’ve already recommended their electronic music for
moment. I always get email versatile synth Massive, and over a decade. He
alerts from them tempting me Native Instruments have got it right again with this typically uses a
to spend money I don’t have incredible multi pedal/amp emulator. I used this mix of samples,
on more delicious sound toys, but right now when recording a band a couple of years ago, ield recordings,
seems like a great time to invest. If you’ve had your ironically to make their real-life efects pedals synthesis and live
eye on any particular plugins lately, this online sound less cheap and more professional. I was instrumentation in his
store would be a great shout for you. There’s a blown away by the results as was my client. work, which covers a variety of
massive range of bass and guitar pedal emulators Although I’m using Logic’s stock tools for the styles including hip-hop, chill-hop,
there for you to browse. Many of these will, of purposes of this demo, I would strongly neo-soul and RnB. He also works
course, have demos up on YouTube, if not on the recommend trialling this baby if you record guitar as a music facilitator and freelance
developer sites themselves. a lot. Prepare to be mesmerised. audio engineer.

7 The first thing I do is turn of some o

the inbuilt unctions o the amp
modulation. The compressor is basic, not
as powerul as my pro plugins, so I switch
it of. I also adjust the pre aders on the
module, to lower the 40Hz region and also
8 Adjusting the 40Hz ader helps
control the requencies below 100Hz
against that o my kick drum, which is
quite thick in this track. Between 200 and
300Hz your bass can sound artificial and
pretty cheap. So I can give mysel a
9 EQ is your new best riend or getting
the sound you desire. Remember that
cutting can be more important than
boosting as you just want to get rid o
nasty, cheap sounding requencies. I’ve
cut between 200Hz and 250Hz as that
the 250Hz region. helping hand beore EQing by amending sounds much better or my sound. I’ve
on the pre ader. boosted at around 80-90Hz as that’s the
best tone or me here.

10 Keep a watch over your track output

volume as you tweak the sound. I
recommend switching the plugin on and
of periodically to see where your sound
started rom and where you’ve gone with
it by adding the efects. You want to
11 You can also adjust the virtual
microphone placement to suit your
sound. This is a great little eature to help
shape your tone – acting as a way to
emulate the microphone being closer or
urther rom the amp cone. Once you’re
12 A compressor will really thicken up
your sound and even it out. There are
numerous settings to consider,
appropriate to your genre and sound, and
it could be the diferencemaker in making
your bass really shine in your track. Check
ensure the volume isn’t increasing too satisfied, it’s time to keep sharpening the out my previous tutorial and video or
much when you switch A-B so adjust the sound with a VCA compressor or more guidance on this.
output Volume slider accordingly. maximum control.

September 2022 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 43

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September 2022 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 45

 
 > interview / william orbit

46 / COMPUTER MUSIC / September 2022

 
 WILLIAM
william orbit / interview <

ORBIT
After working with Madonna, U2, Blur,
Robbie Wil iams and Britney Spears, Wil iam
Orbit’s career went on hold after battling
with drugs and his conidence. The joy of
painting and a beginner’s guide to Pro Tools
got his mojo back and now he is about to
release his irst new album in eight years
William Orbit has produced and Copeland’s IRS Records – the first lie changer.
collaborated with some of the biggest With the proceeds o that, he created Guerrilla
names in pop including Madonna, U2, Blur, Studios where he honed his production skills
Pink, Robbie and Britney to name but a very with the likes o The Cocteau Twins, Erasure,
few. He’s won countless awards and sold Gary Numan and, yes, Ricky Gervais. Then there
millions of records, not to mention becoming was his first hit single: not an ambient electronic
a leading igure in the electronic music masterpiece, rather Harry Enfield’s
scene with releases including his incredible Loadsamoney (Doin’ Up The House). His single
Strange Cargo series and his classical with Bassomatic, Fascinating Rhythm, was much
reinterpretation album Pieces In A Modern cooler, as were his remixes – he reworked Radio-
Style. But as mighty as all of these Activity by Kratwerk while the band’s legendary
achievements have undoubtedly been, it’s Ral Hütter was in the studio with him.
the parts of his life that link all of these peaks This all led to Orbit’s successul solo career
together that are perhaps more incredible. and production work on era-defining records –
There were the times in the ‘70s where Orbit Madonna’s arguably greatest album, Ray Of
became a “seasoned squatter”, and busked his Light, and Blur’s 13 – and collaborations with
way around Europe. In the ‘80s his first band Beck, No Doubt, Ricky Martin, Queen, All Saints
Torch Sing were signed to Miles (Stuart’s dad) and many more.
September 2022 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 47

 
 > interview / william orbit

Polly Scattergood’s
distinctive vocal
shimmers on
Colours Colliding

After collaborating on
her album in 2010, Katie
Melua and Orbit join
forces again on Duende

Orbit says he and Beth

Orton, “always clicked
and there are so many
things I love about
working with her”

But just when some would consider a long time, and coming back it wasn’t at all
retirement, Orbit’s lie took an unexpected dark difficult. It almost elt like it ell into my hands.
turn. He developed a serious drug habit in his And the same with the singers who all gave me
early 60s, to the point o developing psychosis; their most passionate and wonderul vocals. I
during one episode he believed he would be couldn’t have asked or better.”
assassinated by the Church o England and that
he worked or the royal amily. Luckily, a spell in : Did you record the vocalists remotely or
rehab cleared his mind but by this time, and did they come into your studio?
ater a series o less well-received releases, he WO: “A couple o times I already had the vocal
had lost his confidence and the will to work with and then built a track around it, the Beth ones
anyone, nor release any new music. or instance. Hers were recorded at the
Which makes this year’s new album, The beginning o the 90s, a good 30 years ago. With
Painter, all the more extraordinary. And it’s a real Katie we did it in a Las Vegas. The rest were all
return to orm – there are some stunning tracks long distance because o Covid. Natalie [Walker]
on the album, with collaborations with Beth was in Colorado, Lido [Pimienta], although she is
Orton, Georgia, Katie Melua and Polly Colombian is in Canada, and various other
Scattergood – but how did this seismic change people were singing it in. Normally they would
in ortunes happen? The answers are typically
Orbit: becoming a painter inspired him and gave
hear a track that I had started and then send me
their vocal and that would be the one that I used. “Once I got started,
the album its name, but it was a beginner’s
course in Pro Tools which really reopened the
Technically speaking it’s a bit basic in some
respects as some people recorded theirs in a it started to flow
production floodgates. “It was inspiring,” he
says. “Once I got started, it started to flow and
then it was a torrent and it elt like I was in 1997.
kitchen but it doesn’t matter.”
: Did you ask Madonna to appear?
and then it was a
It was a release, you know?” WO: “No I didn’t, both o us are doing our thing
so it would have meant a lot o manager’s talk. torrent and it elt
: New album The Painter has some
extraordinary vocal talent on it. Was it easy to
She’s firmly attached to a project she’s currently
on which is going well and I’m firmly attached to like I was in 1997.
get them all involved?
WO: “Sometimes it’s just a matter o getting the
manager’s email address and saying, ‘how about
this, so we didn’t but I wouldn’t rule it out in
the uture. I did unearth a track called Cuidado
Con Mi Corazon, a version o a track that she
It was a release,
it?’. And in this case it worked. And it was
wonderul because I haven’t been doing this or
and I did or Ricky Martin that has this kind o
tango beat. I’d done a reworking o it just with you know?”
48 / COMPUTER MUSIC / September 2022

 
 william orbit / interview <

September 2022 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 49

 
 > interview / william orbit
Painting
by notes
How does your
love of painting
translate into
the new
album’s sound?
“I wanted it to be a bit
closer together in style
than I usually do. I
wanted it to be very vivid
because I was so busy
with colours – they
obsessed me. I don’t see
colours as sound or
sound as colours –
synesthesia or whatever
it is called. But at the
same time, the process
of sculpting and
moulding, dissolving and
inding context… All those
some of her Spanish vocals. We did think about ‘beginner’s’ after so many years of using it? things with painting and
putting that on the album but the thing about WO: “I wanted to know about some of the then doing the same
albums is often what you leave of, you know? I
did discover a lot of unreleased material I did
features that I’ve always worked around. I’m
pretty ly when it comes to these apps but was with sonics, there is a
with her and maybe it will see the light of day like ‘what does this one do that has been parallel. So I wanted it to
one day.” staring me in the face for yonks?’. Or ‘how can I
do this easier? Isn’t there a shortcut?’ I’ve seen
be that I could paint my
: The album comes after quite a few years people in studios and they do everything with way through this album
of not making music. What happened?
WO: “I couldn’t face
shortcuts so I thought ‘I really need to make
the efort’.
and so I did.
music, or even look at “And then I “There’s an image for
my equipment or open
up a laptop. I had got “It’s never too late to learn. realised how much I
didn’t know. As you
each track and it’s been
a joy to do. And it was
into the songwriting for
hire game and found And that is also key to race along and never
read the manual, you just producing tracks
that didn’t really work so
well for me. I wasn’t
getting a response. I felt
inspiration, because you find leave stuf behind.
That’s great because
you ind out where
that would make me feel
happy when doing them.
like I was getting a wall
of indiference; nobody
a new thing and think, ‘I must you want to get to.
However, I took this It’s that state one gets
gave a toss. I lost apply that to something’” very good course into, that kind of reverie.
conidence in my own
abilities to be able to
online with a
syllabus and a good That’s all it needs. If I’m in
make something special and I had the perfect teacher. I didn’t carry it on for that long but it that state I can listen to
storm of personal issues building over this
period so music was the last thing on my mind.”
was marvellous.” each molecule going by,
: So unleashing some of Pro Tools’ power and each bar sounds like
: And the album is called The Painter as
you got into painting instead of music…
got you back into music production?
WO: “Yes it did, very much so. Something new it should be linked up
WO: “Yes after I pretty much stopped a few and learnt was very much part of it. Every day forever. Then I’m a happy
years ago I started painting which I loved.
Although I know I’m not a painter, I’m a
you learn a new trick and that it’s never too late
to learn. And that is also key to inspiration, camper. There was no
musician, I got into painting in the same way I because you ind a new thing and you think, ‘I commercial or
irst got into music. I did tons of stuf in a very
short space of time, very inspired, but music got
must apply that to something,’ and right away
you’re taking this new found enablement and
contemporary ‘what’s
pushed to the back.” turning it into a musical substance.” going on in pop’ kind of
: But we hear that a Pro Tools beginner’s : You had been through a struggle with
thing whatsoever.”
course helped bring it back – so why drugs a few years back so is it fair to say that
50 / COMPUTER MUSIC / September 2022

 
 william orbit / interview <

“The process of sculpting

and moulding, dissolving…
All those things with
painting and doing the
same with sonics, there
is a parallel”

September 2022 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 51

 
 > interview / william orbit
alongside painting, Pro Tools saved you
from drugs?!
WO: “Goodness me I have to de-compact that
question! Pro Tools is an immersive application
that I particularly love. My favourite apps are Pro
Tools, Photoshop and Final Cut Pro. They are so
immersive: creative worlds that you make your
own. So creativity saved me from drugs.
Because I got into drugs belatedly in my life. My
irst druggy period was when I was 14 and I
stopped when I was 17. And then my next one
was when I was about 61! Pro Tools is certainly a
lot better than drugs, that’s for sure.”

otohP kcotS ymalA / dtL sthgiR NNEW © otohP

The Painter’s tools
: The new album certainly has many
trademark William Orbit sounds. Did you use
a lot of old gear?
WO: “Yes there are a lot of old sounds. I did use
some old gear – I have a lockup full of synths but
I’d actually lent them all out to people as they
were not getting used. What happened with this
was that I had used multitrack tape [to record]
from 83 to 97 when, with the Madonna album, I

Orbiting artists
went over to America and went ‘Pro Tools’. So
over this 14 or 15-year period I had amassed
about 110 2-inch multitracks packed full of
You have obviously worked with many artists. recordings so I had them all digitised. Some you
had to put in the oven to bake them or scrape
Any favourites? the oxide of as they were getting a bit corroded,
but I got it all onboard, a vast archive of material
“The answer to that should be ‘a lot of them’. I loved that’s never been released, all recorded in
analogue through compressors. And I did use
working with Bono. What a joy to be working with a some of it as sound sources [for the new album]
even if it was sometimes using it almost like a
singer like that. Also Beth Orton. We’ve always clicked synth patch as a starting point.
“So the album took 15 months to make or 15
and there are so many things I love about working with years. Both, if you like! And it was all done ‘in the
box’ but before ‘the box’ was invented!”
her. I’ve loved working with Madonna: moments of just : So do youhave your entire studio on a
musical magic. Working with Blur for the irst time, they laptop now?
WO: “Yes and no. Yes it is but I always come out
had this tiny, little studio that Damon [Albarn] had at at the drop of a hat. But yes I do everything in a
the time. It was at the peak of a heatwave and we were MacBook Pro.”

all crammed into this tiny room, and they all plugged in : What are your favourite plugins?
WO: “The irm favourites forever are the really
their guitars. Dave [Rowntree] was in the mix room prosaic ones like EQ, compression and ilters. I
use a Focusrite three-band EQ, the Red one,
drumming. Graham [Coxon] and Alex [James] had pretty much for everything. It’s always been my
way. I’ll ind one EQ I really like and I’ll use it for
their guitars kicking of and Damon picked up the mic everything. Ditto reverbs. These days I tend to
use one particular Ativerb, one outboard PCM70
and it was like, ‘oh I love bands, I love that collective for everything. People think I have an array of
reverbs but it’s really just one or two. It is the
sound, oh yes’. There was something that was just sound that’s going in that determines the sound
coming out, after all.
gorgeous. The session I did with Beck, we wrote a tune “Really I just have a set of really handy ones
[plugins] that are usable to shape and sculpt
for Pink, and that was brilliant, we had such a laugh. I’ve sound. They are like a palette knife, or a chisel or
scissors. They are tools that are reliable and
had some very funny sessions like that where haven’t really changed their design much.”
everyone’s cracking up. : What about favourite instrument plugins?
“So I’ve had great times and it’s hard to pick one. WO: “Some of the sound-crafting ones are
awesome. I do like [Native Instruments] Massive,
There are fun, crazy sessions where everyone’s wild but they have to ix this thing where notes just
hang. It’s a real problem, they just hang and it’s
and probably drinking too much and something not a MIDI thing because you can’t just set all
MIDI to of. I like a library like the next man. If I
comes out of it, and there are ones that are a struggle haven’t got a real string section I use libraries
joyfully. Kontakt is awesome and I love
and suddenly there’s a breakthrough. I enjoy them all.” Melodyne as a remedial tool as well as a creative
tool. I really like Serato – obviously huge in the
52 / COMPUTER MUSIC / September 2022

 
 william orbit / interview <

Best classic hardware synths?

: What classic hardware synthesisers records, half of it is the Juno106. It’s just a DAW mixer or one on an app – you’d expect it
have been your favourites over the years? fantastic sonic, a simple machine, easy to just to have any basic controls like pan, mute, solo.
“The Korg MS-20 has been a favourite: wildly grab faders and use them in a performative Nothing is ever going to change that, whether
unpredictable and if you get a good sound way. I love the JD-800 for its sonics too but it it’s on a phone or an old desk. These things are
you need to get it down onto tape asap is not as intuitive. It’s big and takes up a lot of fundamental to how music gets recorded. It’s
because it won’t be the same in a minute. The room but it’s got such a complicated never going to change. And I think it’s the
Roland Juno106. I’ve been into Junos since waveform to it that it is so rewarding to use same when it comes to synths. There are
the Juno6 back in about 1980. I remember once you ind out how to program it. certain things to control and sculpt sound and
going to Tokyo to go to their factory at the “I’ve always liked Roland stuf and old you have to have easy access to them. You
time. Then I had the Juno60, then the analogue synthesisers. I like the ones with the don’t want to go through pages and pages of
Juno106. It’s my number one keyboard on traditional ADSR on it, and you’ve got the stuf. So if a synth has the basic controls,
stage. Ray Of Light, all the Strange Cargo usual VCO controls. It’s like on a mixer, any whether it is virtual or real, then I like it.”

DJ world – the pitch and time [tools], the But there are a lot of artists where I think I could
professional ones. It is an audio suite plugin I use do something really cool if they are up for a bit
all the time. I use it for just lengthening notes, of musical adventure. I’m ready for that. I’d love
performing things in time, for taking tracks of to do something with Shakira, she’s my
diferent pitch and itting things in – a host of favourite. I think she’s a genius actually, in terms
things, it is always open. of everything she does. I really mean that.”
“A really good tool is fabulous for a little HEAR MORE
invisible mending but you can also use it to : What else do you have planned with the
rock out on some wild areas – that is the best new album?
kind of plugin.” WO: “Now there are a lot of things you need to
do – you can’t just put it up there on the internet.
: Would you like to get back to producing So there will be an Atmos version and as I
other artists again? mentioned, all of the tracks will have a painting
WO: “Yes. I’m moving to the north of Italy to go with them and even an animated version. Colours Colliding (with Polly Scattergood)
shortly, to Venice, so not hard to get to if people I’m planning an art exhibition as well. My [Link]/3tREBOh
want to collaborate. In fact it’s very nice: a few canvases are very large so I have to stick them Water From A Vine Leaf (with Beth Orton)
days in Venice and I’ll put you up in my place or in a truck and drive for 24 hours to Venice and [Link]/3Od3Q5G
you ind a nice place to stay and you get to my put them up in a space I have there. And
house by canal! So I would like to do some fun collaborating with some great artists and
stuf, writing and working with artists again. I singers, yeah I love that. Back to that again. WWW
[Link]
feel conident I’ve got something to ofer. There’s nothing I like more than to work with an [Link]/williamorbit
Sometimes working with artists they are so artist to help make their vocal sound like heaven
perfect as they are that I think, ‘can I just stay a so if you want me to help you, I’m ready to go. [Link]/williamorbit
fan boy?’ or, ‘there’s nothing I can contribute’. Here I am everybody, I’m at your service!”
September 2022 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 53

 
 Enormous drum and percussion sounds
are the order of the day as we turn our
attention to producing blockbuster
beats suitable for a Hollywood epic
Larger-than-life, ‘cinematic’ beats have
become such a mainstay of soundtracks,
TV idents and advertising that they’re almost
part of the media wallpaper. Take a quick surf
through Saturday night TV or any number of
recent movie blockbusters and you’ll be
bombarded with huge, epic percussion
sounds. Listen a little closer and you’ll hear
that these sounds, although rooted in real
instruments, can also sound ‘otherworldly’,
which only adds to their mystery and overall
epic feel. To get straight to the point of this
tutorial, achieving these cinematic sounds is
primarily a case of careful sound selection
and appropriate efects processing.
Our first step, then, is to put together a set o
core sounds that we know will deliver. We’ll
cherry-pick rom ‘world’ and orchestral
percussion to get a good sonic spread. You
should be able to find these sounds in most
DAWs or the instruments we suggest.
We can also find plenty o percussive
greatness in everyday sounds and objects. To
that end, we’ll be looking at more unusual
sources and ‘ound’ sounds, too, in our quest to
push the boundaries o percussion.
With our sound set sorted, we’ll guide you
through some programming basics in order to
help you get the patterns you’re used to hearing.
We’ll then move on to look at processing the
sounds in context using EQ, reverb, exciters and
stereo enhancement.
Finally, it’s worth saying that i you’d rather
just go or some high quality ready made
sounds, there are some truly excellent sample
libraries out there – Sample Logic Trailer
Xpressions 2 and Heavyocity Damage 2 are two
particularly good examples – that work well-
recorded source material into mix-ready epic
sounds. For raw core sounds that you can
process yoursel, it’s also worth checking out
Project Sam’s True Strike series, Vir2 World
Impact and Native Instruments’ West Arica
Kontakt library, among many others.
We’re using Live, Logic and Cubase in our
walkthroughs but the techniques apply to any
DAW. Right, let’s make some noise!
54 / COMPUTER MUSIC / September 2022

 
 create great cinematic beats / make music now <

Building a sound set

Without wanting to lead you down a pre-defined
path, when you’re trying to create massive, “Focus on tone and possible options can seem even more vast than
that o drums. Once again, although there is
cinematic beats, there’s a certain core sample
set that you need. That’s not to say that you try to find variations general consistency in terms o instrument
types, a Chinese cymbal and a Turkish (Western)
o playing style in the
can’t introduce your own sounds or more cymbal, or example, sound verydiferent. What’s
unusual ones (indeed, we’ll look at both shortly), more, playing style has a huge influence, too –
but certain sounds fit well with – and are think o the diference between a crash cymbal
expected to be heard in – cinematic scores and
music influenced by them.
To reinorce the diferent roles these sounds
same sample set” struck with the shank o a stick and a crescendo
roll played with beaters on the same cymbal.
Similarly, damping and choking metals can
play, we’ll divide this core set into ‘drums’ and the main thing to appreciate is that drum influence their sound and range o usage.
‘metals’. Drums includes everything rom the sounds vary rom deep and thunderous (taiko In order to get started, hunt down good-quality
humble drum kit rack tom, orchestral snare and and bass drum) to high-pitched and ringy (tabla raw sounds. These may be ‘non-epic’, but ocus
timpani to oversized orchestral bass drums, and djembe), and some (tabla again) are capable on tone and try to find variations o playing style
Arican djembe, Middle Eastern darbuka, Indian o generating a broad range o sounds on their in the same sample set. Your goal, ultimately, is
tablas and Japanese taiko (typically, the large own. This versatility can be urther enhanced by to build an appropriate (but not unadventurous!)
wadaiko drum). O course, the complete list is using diferent types o sticks or beaters. sound set or the music that you’ve been
way longer than we can cover in its entirety, but When we talk about metals, the array o working on.

> Step by step 1. Getting the core sounds together

TUTORIAL
FILES

1 Although the temptation when building cinematic, soundtrack-

style beats is to search or interesting ethnic sounds, the humble
tom tom is a brilliant option. Here, we’re picking some sounds rom
Ableton Live’s Drum library older but you should be able to find
sounds in your DAW or third party instruments like BFD. (Audio to
download: Step 1a and 1b)
2 Big taiko drums are perect or thunderous sounds, but are oten
recorded with ambience, making each sample set sound very
particular. We collect together samples o hits made on the centre and
rim o the drum, plus a proper rimshot and a flam. This gives us the
programming flexibility we want but with consistency, as our hits all
come rom the same sample set. (Use our audio i you don’t have any.)

3 For musical energy and a sense o urgency, tablas are ideal, but
they’re capable o so many tones that it can be hard to know where
to start. Here, our sample set comprises 16 sounds, divided into short
slaps, choked thumps and deeper, sustained sounds. We map these
out across our sampler, so that we can pick and choose rom them
when programming.
4 Marching band snare drums cut through pretty much anything,
and their clicky sound is great or accents or ‘regimented’ musical
sections. To make the most o them, seek out a sample set like
FXPansion’s BFD (above) with a range o articulations, like flams and
rolls. You could program these yoursel, but they oten sound much
better when sampled ‘as played’. Again you can use our audio here.

September 2022 / COMPUTER MUSIC/ 55

 
 > make music now / create great cinematic beats

> Step by step 1. Getting the core sounds together (continued)

5 Gongs produce a very deep and powerful sound, and when rolled
they can also give a glorious shimmering efect. Here we have
three basic sounds: a deep one produced with a soft beater, a harder
one with a stick, and one with pitchbend in it. (Audio: Step 5) 6 For crescendos, it’s good to have a selection of regular suspended
cymbal swells. Here we have two sets: one played with soft
beaters, the other a China-type cymbal played with hard beaters (from
True Strike). The sample sets include various lengths of crescendo
rolls, as well as both choked and sustained endings – these will all
prove useful at the programming stage.

7 Traditional cymbals from East Asia ofer a particularly interesting

bending sound that instantly evokes an exotic atmosphere. We
collect together a selection including tuned and bowed gongs – the
latter are particularly good for haunting ambiences. 8 Our inal sound is an orchestral tambourine, which has far more
character than the plastic ‘rock’ version. For this we head back to
the percussion section in BFD, which contains a great wooden
tambourine with multiple articulations, including muted hit, rim,
thumb roll and single shake. Lots of textures to play with!

56 / COMPUTER MUSIC / September 2022

 
 create great cinematic beats / make music now <

Selecting alternative sounds

While classical orchestral and ethnic sounds are
great, to create something truly original you’ll “For percussion efective), slamming doors or using unusual
items as beaters. A telephone directory
probably want to throw the sound selection net
a little wider. This could involve simply
searching or other regular sounds and using samples, any object slammed down on a table (or the closed lid o a
piano!) can produce a pretty usable thump, as
can whacking the bottom o a plastic tub – a
them percussively, possibly by editing them to
make them shorter or repitching them – but that you can hit or laundry bin, or example.
This ‘ound sounds’ approach can be
capturing percussion sounds, the whole world is shake is fair game”
there’s no need to stop there. When it comes to particularly ruitul in your kitchen, which will be
ull o appliances, metal hardware and hard
your oyster. suraces that can be used to produce edgy
In movie production, sound efects are sounds. With some judicious editing, layering
created in a controlled studio environment – a For percussion samples, any object that you and repitching, you can render these totally
process that’s known as ‘Foley’. The equipment can hit or shake is air game, although recording unrecognisable rom their sources, turning
used or this usually bears little relationship to it may not be as easy a task as you’d expect. them into unusual percussive tones. Possibilities
the sounds that it generates, and in act, we’ve Close miking oten sounds lieless, while include appliance doors (microwave, ridge,
become so accustomed to the larger-than-lie ambient miking can easily become too ambient, washing machine), switches on kettles, toasters
Foley sounds we hear in movies that the sounds so be prepared or quite a bit o trial and error. and so on, and – or industrial metals – the ever-
o real lie oten seem somewhat dull and Try stamping flamenco-style on a wooden floor efective scrape o a grill pan being moved in
mundane in comparison. or board (hard shoe heels will be particularly and out o the cooker.

> Step by step 2. Home-made and found sounds

TUTORIAL
FILES

1 Our first sound combines oot stamps and a large book whacked
on a cupboard. The stamping is hard and percussive, while the
book whack is at and heavy. We pick a ew o the stamps and a couple
o the thumps, and ofset the timing slightly, particularly or the
stamps. A bit o careul balancing and we have a slightly flammed
attack with a solid thump. (Audio: Step 1)
2 Recording a knie slicing through something on a chopping board
(a carrot, in our case) can sound great. For a percussive sound we
need a tight one-shot efect, so we’re editing the tail o our recording.
However, we keep the ront slicing efect, which sounds a bit like a
reverse snare. We’ll need to bear this in mind or timing purposes later.

3 I you want a musical accent that really cuts through, it’s typically
done with some kind o cymbal or white noise efect. However, a
good ound sound alternative is breaking glass, which can also impart
an urban or desolate eel. Here we have three samples, layered or
energy and power.
4 Metal objects usually produce a ringing sound with a quick decay.
Striking a fire extinguisher gets us a ringing tone, which we can
pitch down to create a darker efect. We use a varispeed-type
pitchshit, so that the sound becomes longer as we pitch it down.

September 2022 / COMPUTER MUSIC/ 57

 
 > make music now / create great cinematic beats

> Step by step 3. Programming cinematic beats

TUTORIAL
FILES

1 Once you have your core sounds sorted, group them together by
type and load them into your sampler. This is far more lexible than
using raw audio on a track, particularly for pitch or velocity variations
or amplitude envelope tweaking. You can always bounce the parts
back out to audio for inal processing later should you feel the need.
2 Velocity is a vital consideration in the production of dynamic beats.
We program our basic tom and taiko pattern, and by playing the
part on a keyboard, we get a true dynamic feel. Then we simply tweak
the velocities to taste, accenting signiicant beats (such as downbeats).

3 While we might like the loose feel of our played-in part, the beats
need to lock in with other instrumentation in the track. Two
options are to not quantise fully or use swing quantise. However, our
approach is to perfectly quantise the main downbeats and then retain
some natural timing within other parts of the pattern.
4 Percussionists and drummers often play ghost notes to ill the
gaps between the main beats, as well as grace notes just before
beats. The most well-known implementations of grace notes are the
lam and the drag – single and double grace notes, respectively, before
the main hit. We program lams on our toms and drags on some of our
snares. (Audio: Step 4)

5 We only add drags to certain snares – these are the accented notes
that help mark out the time of the overall part. Elsewhere, we can
use the same ‘doubling up’ idea to accent other notes. Here we’re also
adding a gong to the downbeat of every eight bars. 6 Cinematic beats tend to range into both the low and high extremes
of the frequency spectrum, leaving the mid range clear for other
instruments and dialogue. It’s worth bearing this in mind at the sound
selection stage. We complete our track with some carefully chosen
high-frequency sounds, thus leaving space in the mid range.

58 / COMPUTER MUSIC / September 2022

 
 create great cinematic beats / make music now <

> Step by step 4. Processing for bigger sounds

TUTORIAL
FILES

1 With our parts programmed, the final stage is to make them sound
as epic as possible without losing ocus and swamping them in
efects. We start with a little EQ sweetening to help bring out the crack
on our toms. We use a gentle shelving EQ at 4.7kHz, boosting heavily
by 10dB. (Audio: Step 1)
2 To add space and scale to a sound without using a regular reverb,
we can apply short delays. We set up a stereo delay on an auxiliary,
with the two delay channels hard panned. Delay settings o 30ms and
60ms with no eedback are ideal, and we filter the low requencies
rom the wet signal to avoid low-end clutter.

3 Having said that, reverb is the best tool or adding scale to any
sound, and we can apply it to specific sounds or specific efects.
We insert a gated convolution reverb across the taiko, adjusting the
volume envelope tail to taste. We also set up a general purpose
convolution reverb (around 3s long) on an auxiliary, again tailoring the
volume envelope to keep things tidy.
4 Reverb can also add too much mid- and low-requency build-up, or
sound too bright, so it usually needs tailoring with EQ. On our
auxiliary reverb we use a bell-shaped EQ cut to scoop out some o the
low mid-range at around 450Hz, and a very gentle shelving EQ cut at
around 7.5kHz to soten the highs.

5 Sometimes a sound will need a little help in the top or bottom end,
but EQ alone won’t cut it. This is the time to try a harmonic exciter.
Used sparingly, these add a processed sheen that’s ideal or cinematic
beats. We use both low- and high-requency harmonic exciters as
auxiliaries rather than inserts.
6 Our final process is to use a stereo tool to keep the low requencies
mono and spread the higher requencies. Our plugin simply uses a
filter to make the requencies below a certain point mono, and allows
us to rebalance the mid and sides aspects o the stereo signal. We can
use this on individual sounds, sub-groups or the main output.

September 2022 / COMPUTER MUSIC/ 59

 
 
 reviews <

Our promise
We bring you honest, unbiased
appraisals of the latest computer
music products. Our experts apply
the same stringent testing methods
to all gear, no matter how much
hype or expectation surrounds it.

What the
ratings mean
1-4 A seriously lawed product
that should be avoided
5 This product’s problems
outweigh its merits
6 A decent product that’s only
held back by a few laws
7 Solid. Well worth considering
8 Very good. A well-conceived
62 CABLEGUYS/NICKY ROMERO and executed product
KICKSTART 2 9 Excellent. First-rate and
among the best you can buy
The incredible ducking and diving plugin gets a makeover 10 Exceptional. It just doesn’t get
any better than this!

64 66
Cherry Audio Caelum Audio
Minimode Flux Pro

68 71 72
Arturia Røde Tablets
V Collection 9 NTH-100 roundup

Awarded to products A product has to really If the product In the opinion of the
that challenge existing impress us with its exceeds expectations Editor, the best product
ideas and do something functionality and for its price, it will reviewed in the
entirely new features to win this one receive this gong magazine this month

September 2022 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 61

 
 > reviews / nicky romero/cableguys kickstart 2

OSCILLOSCOPE LENGTH
View both the sidechain and Set the length MODE
MIX main audio waveforms of the envelope Choose from synced, MIDI
Set the and audio operating modes
overall
strength of
the ducking
effect

END
BAND MARKER
Activate and Set the
use this end point
mode to for one-
process only shot
the signal envelope
below the behaviour
cutoff
frequency

SHIFT ENVELOPE SHAPE CURVE

BAND LISTEN Use the fine and Select one of 16 Drag the curve to achieve
Listen to just the low course arrows to shift starting shapes a precise result that
frequencies being processed the envelope position matches your kick

Nicky Romero/Cableguys
Kickstart 2 €14
If you want pumping sidechain efects, a dedicated plugin is a must and
this one’s just had a tasty update
Designed by Nicky Romero and developed in grouped by tasks, including typical sidechaining, also the rather handy kick view. This adds the
collaboration with Cableguys, Kickstart 2 kick trimming, sub bass sidechaining and so on, sidechain input signal to the oscilloscope view,
(AU, VST, VST3, AAX) is the latest version of this and can be modiied to some degree (see so you can visualise them together.
excellent ducking efect. The plugin helps you Editing Curves). The processed signal waveform
create sidechain compression efects and is
quicker and more precise than setting up a
is visible via a background oscilloscope and this
updates to relect the current envelope settings.
Control
Kickstart 2’s Sync mode is essentially automatic
compressor. It’s great for creating space for your The core process ofers four sync lengths (⅛, and ideal where you just want a tempo locked
kick drum, but is also ideal for adding movement ¼, ½ and 1/1), and is joined by MIDI triggering, repeated efect following your chosen length
to all manner of sounds, and is not limited to and new for Kickstart 2, external audio setting. For proper sidechaining you actually
electronic music. sidechaining. These three modes (Sync, MIDI need to be able to control the plugin externally,
At the heart of this concept is a tempo synced and Audio) are selected in the top bar. Further and this is where Kickstart 2’s MIDI and new
gain curve with a choice of 16 shapes and overall new features include Band split (20Hz to Audio options come into play. In both these
ducking strength (Mix). The curves are broadly 5.12kHz) for frequency selective processing and modes you get an additional playback end stop
62 / COMPUTER MUSIC / September 2022

 
 nicky romero/cableguys kickstart 2 / reviews <

We’re very happy to

see a straight-up
one-shot style audio
sidechain mode which
was missing before
marker and also a looping option. With looping
switched of, once triggered by the sidechain
Kickstart 2 delivers a one-shot o the envelope
up to the end marker. The audio level will then
continue at this level until re-triggered. With
looping switched on, there’s no end marker and
the sidechain triggers the envelope ater which
you’ll get continuous ull cycles o the envelope
at your selected length until the sidechain
triggers it again. You can modiy the preset curves using the course and fine-tune arrows, or with the slope adjust
In practice this is a lot less complicated than it
sounds. Even so, the plugin behaves in markedly
diferent ways dependent on these settings and
that makes it pretty flexible. Either way, we’re
Editing curves
very happy to see a straight-up one-shot style Kickstart 2 does not let you draw the you to drag the slope section o the
audio sidechain mode, as this primary eature envelope shape by hand. However, it ducking curve let or right within the
was missing in version 1. Couple this with the does ofer a number o ways to modiy overall curve.
many envelope options and you have the best the preset curves. In both cases the main graphic and
o both worlds. It also allowed us to use Kickstart First up, you can simply shit the preset button graphic update as you do
2 on audio sources that aren’t quantised. curve let or right using the course and this, and you’ll find this specific plugin
Overall, Kickstart 2 is a more complete plugin fine-tune arrows. The course controls instance retains these new settings
than version 1. I you regularly use this type o are set to a 1/16th o the curve length even i you switch to another preset,
efect it helps deliver it with a precision and ease and the fine controls are 16 times this which is a nice touch. I you want to
that beats the original technique it’s based on. It resolution or super fine changes. return to the original curve, a reset to
may not be an essential purchase but given the The second editing option you deault icon appears next to any
ully unctioning trial and bargain price you’d be have is the slope adjust, which allows modified curve presets.
crazy not to give it a go.
Web [Link]

Alternatively
XFer Records LFO Tool
166 » 9/10 » $50
A powerul plugin to design LFO
curves and create pumping audio
precisely how you want it
Devious Machines Duck
274 » 9/10 » £20
Features on this easy to use plugin
include split band operation, and
both MIDI and audio sidechaining
Verdict
For 16 task specific curve presets
Internal sync mode
MIDI and audio external trigger modes
Adjustable curve shapes
Band split option
Against Nothing at this price
Kickstart 2 is an excellent plugin and
although it may not be on everyone’s
essential list, the latest features make it
more creative than ever
Nicky Romero’s Kickstart 2 ofers 16 envelope shapes to choose rom 10/10

September 2022 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 63

 
 > reviews / cherry audio minimode
PRESET MENU FOCUS MODE
Opens to a To zoom in on pot FILTER SECTION
hierarchic settings A facsimile of the legendary
display THE OSCILLATORS Moog ladder filter
Where it all starts!

MIDI CC MIXER SECTION OUTPUT BACKEND LIMITER

Routing and Including hard-wired Increase the To keep those levels
learn matrix feedback/overdrive Mini voice count under control
up to 16 notes

Cherry Audio
Minimode $59.00
Endorsing the fact that “everyone should have a Minimoog”, Cherry
Audio re-mode the early 70s classic into a highly desirable plugin form
If there is one synth that is ubiquitous in all extraordinarily low $59, the Cherry Audio ethos Moog font, through to the colour palette.
senses, it has to be the Minimoog. As a being that everyone deserves a Minimoog, and Original Minimoogs provided a basic tuning
consequence, it’ll come as no surprise to it is diicult to disagree. But what good is a low oscillator, which always emitted a slight delay in
discover that it is one of the most reimagined price, if the software itself doesn’t sound like the volume, which switched on, and while we don’t
synths to appear in software. Any new plugin real McCoy? Well, that’s just it! It does! really need the tuning oscillator on a plugin, it’s
incarnation is therefore going to require some The Minimode is available in all of the usual there and it exhibits the same delay-like
pretty hefty calling cards to tempt people away plugin formats; AU, VST and AAX, while also behaviour, when activated. Cute!
from their favoured versions, or indeed entice ofering a nicely styled standalone version. From
irst timers into the Minimoog World. the initial loading, you are struck by the
resizable window, which boasts the classic and
Preset aspirations
As a company, Cherry Audio are backed by
Mini for all
So we must begin with the lowest common
clear signal path, in a retro GUI which is pretty
exacting to an original Mini. There is plenty of
some seasoned professionals, who understand
what makes a good vintage clone in software,
denominator; Minimode is priced at an attention to detail, from the use of the same and that shines through here. The Oscillator
64 / COMPUTER MUSIC / September 2022

 
 cherry audio minimode / reviews <

It’s only when you

apply all elements
together that you get a
real feel; that’s where
this scores very highly
behaviour and sound is identical, as are the
waveform characteristics, which include the
ever-popular shark-tooth wave. You can also
switch the VCOs to Lo-Frequency mode, should
you wish to redeploy a VCO to LFO duties, as
you would on a hardware original.
By way of popular inclusion, Cherry Audio
have provided a suitable re-enactment of the
classic ‘headphone-output-into-the-external-
input’ trick. A dedicated switch and volume pot
are available within the mixer section, allowing
exceptionally easy application of over-loading
and feedback. To further assist with any increase
in volume, there is a limiter on the backend of
The route to MIDI
the signal chain, to keep things under control. While some users may be tempted by working on-screen with another synth,
Volume can immediately be increased, the standalone version, it is probably and wish to port across your ilter
thanks to the application of additional voices. As fair to say that the vast majority of us movement and control, which you have
we all know, the original machine was a mono- are likely to use Minimode within the already programmed using DAW-based
synth, but in its plugin form, it is possible to push DAW. This being the case, it is quite automation. Without any need to
it to a full 16-note polyphony, and in this setting, likely that you may wish to automate change the parameters within your
it can sound utterly amazing. certain elements, found within the DAW, you can quickly and easily tell the
Of course, one other highly desirable synth’s infrastructure. Thanks to some Minimode which MIDI CC to address,
attribute is the inclusion of a preset browser, ingenuity from Cherry Audio, a MIDI CC and your ilter sweep will be enacted.
which comes preloaded with patches, and routing section takes all of the hard And if you thought that was easy,
plenty of capacity for saving your own sounds. work out of dictating which MIDI CC assigning a hardware fader to a control
goes where. This is advantageous, for a on the synth is even easier, thanks to its
Finishing Mode
We have put a lot of Minimoog plugins to the
number of reasons; you might be intuitive learn procedure.
test over the years, and it’s interesting that while
many sound authentic, in the bare bones, it is
only when you apply all of the elements
together that you get a real feel, and that is
where the Minimode scores very highly. It has regarded as a future classic, at least in software Alternatively
plenty of that grunt and swagger, which makes form, but at this price, it is a total bargain that Softube - Model ‘72
the Mini the classic that it is. The ilter modelling will not let you down sonically, and we can’t say €159
is exemplary, as is the envelope behaviour, that of all bargains! A very vintage take on the Mini,
which is no mean feet, due to their classic beaten and battered, but also
stylisation and shape. At any price, this would be Web [Link] provides sonic beef and weight
Universal Audio - Moog MiniMoog
£229
One of the best around, recently
morphed from being Luna-only to
the new Spark-based UADX format
Verdict
For Stunningly accurate emulation
Beautiful GUI styling and fully resizable
Overdrive loop on-board
It’s stunning in Polyphonic Mode
Against No additional LFO for vibrato
No on-board efects
As classical re-enactments go, this is a
no-holds-barred unashamed recreation of
a Minimoog, which sounds sensational,
even at an amazingly attractive price!
The Minimoog in emulation form isn’t an unfamiliar sight; but one of this quality and value certainly isn’t… 10/10

September 2022 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 65

 
 > reviews / caelum audio flux pro
GRAPH MIDI TRIGGER PRESETS EDIT TOOLS SETTINGS
Load and edit the Activate and select MIDI Choose from over 100 Launch the floating Access various options
three modulation curves one-shot or retrigger categorised presets tool palette to help including MIDI CC allocation
edit the curves and CV output settings

CURVES DEPTH EFFECTS CURVE PRESETS

Select and edit the Adjust the positive Select and edit up Drag and drop
main frequency/tempo or negative to four effects from ready-made curves
settings for each amount for each a choice of ten onto the graph display
modulation curve effect parameter

Caelum Audio
Flux Pro £50
Can an afordable plugin deliver compelling multi efects? This latest
ofering rom Caelum Audio could be the one
If you’ve used our very own Flux Mini CM categorised presets to get you started. at any one time, and they can be reordered to
plugin (update free with this issue!) then Further features include control voltage graph taste using drag and drop. Below each module
you’ll already be pretty familiar with Caelum output to send to external hardware and MIDI parameter you’ll ind a modulation depth slider
Audio’s graph-based modulation system. It gets CC output of the graph data to control other (+/-100%) and this will apply whichever curve
a big upgrade with their latest plugin, Flux Pro plugins, although as ever with internal MIDI (A, B or C) is selected in the bottom left-hand
(VST3, AU, AAX and iOS). It’s a new multi-efects communication, features are somewhat corner. All three curves can control each
modulation plugin with ten modulation efects DAW dependent. parameter concurrently and adding modulation
spread across four efects slots. There are three Flux Pro has a typical array of efects depth also creates colour-coded halos around
user conigurable and editable modulation including two ilters, two delays, phaser, chorus/ the parameter knob. It’s a really simple and
curves (A, B and C), a bank of 48 drag-and-drop langer, width and ring modulation. You’ve also clear scheme, and means you can easily glean
preset curve shapes and a slick new interface got a utility module that includes pan and gain. which parameters are being controlled and by
with frequency analyser. You’ve also got 115 The interface displays two of the four modules which curve.
66 / COMPUTER MUSIC / September 2022

 
 caelum audio flux pro / reviews <

For a more destructive

vibe, Ring Modulation
and Rate Modulation
serve up all manner of
fuzz and crunch
The edit
Flux Pro’s 48 preset modulation curves cover
lots of ground and, with both tempo sync and
free frequency options, you may not feel the
need to actually edit these curves at all.
However, Flux Pro has powerful features to edit
and also save your own curves, and this is
extremely well implemented. Simply dive in
using your cursor to make changes, double-
clicking to add nodes. There’s also an adjustable
snap grid, loating toolbar and overall graph
modiier options (shorten, extend and clear) to MIDI features
help make the whole process as slick as In its default state Flux Pro is triggered modulation curve. This is accessed via
possible. If you do want to save your curve by DAW playback. However, you also the menu and you can manually set the
simply select the User bank and click on the have the option to trigger it via MIDI, MIDI channel and speciic MIDI CC of
‘+’ icon. with two choices available via the each curve (A, B and C). In Mac OS X you
We really like the breadth of efects included. Menu Bar. One-Shot triggers a one-of also get the option to select Flux Pro as
You have 20 ilter styles including some playthrough of all three curves; a Virtual MIDI Device, and this can
lavoursome ladder types with Drive and three meanwhile Retrigger starts with assist when routing MIDI between
Formant options. Meanwhile with Glide, playback as normal, but you can use a plugins, and we found this worked as
Feedforward and Feedback, the main Delay can MIDI note to manually restart the expected. Nevertheless, as ever with
conjure some tasty efects. There’s also the curve playback. MIDI control of plugins, you need to
simpler second Delay module, which is a non Flux Pro can also generate follow the speciic scheme used by
feedback design with delay time mapped to one independent MIDI CC output for each your DAW as implementations do vary.
of the curves. This more focused design creates
some fantastic time-bending sounds.
Meanwhile the Width efect, which augments
its width option with Haas and Shule
parameters, is also great for both subtle and
extreme wobble efects. For a more destructive
vibe both Ring Modulation and Rate Modulation Caelum are gradually building an impressive
serve up all manner of fuzz and crunch. Finally, stable of plugins. Flux Pro is their most powerful Alternatively
the inclusion of a Utility module with Gain to date and a fantastically creative ofering. Output Movement
means you can also create very convincing 234 » 9/10 » £131
sidechain compression efects. Web [Link] This excellent four engine design
can create awesome rhythmic
efects and more
Devious Machines Infiltrator
£100
A transformative efect with up to
ten simultaneous efects modules
and a 32-step efect sequencer
Verdict
For Excellent graphic implementation
Good selection of ilters
Decent choice of efects module
Plenty of categorised presets
Saving of user curves
MIDI CC and control voltage output
Against Nothing
Flux Pro is easy to use with a decent choice
of efects controlled by a powerful set of
user-editable modulation curves
10/10

September 2022 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 67

 
 > reviews / arturia v collection 9
SEQUENCER STEPS PRESETS THREE SEQUENCING CHANNELS
Assign the number Plenty located are available for pitch and MENUS
available within the within modulation purposes reveal the additional
sequencer section the browser production elements

FILTERS
Both low and
high-pass
resonant filters

OSCILLATORS
The MS-20
offers two of
these per voice

SWITCH BETWEEN GLOBAL SETTINGS TWO ENVELOPES INCREDIBLE PATCHBAY

the more aggressive Mk1 and include turning your for amplitude and which will take some
gentler Mk 2 filter colours monosynth to a poly! modulation getting used to!

Arturia
V Collection 9 £419
The reputed resource of software synths gets an update. We should all
be looking to complete our collections as we upgrade to version 9
If there is one company that could be such as this represents tremendously good you can beneit from Arturia’s generous update
considered to have the most diverse value for money. Not to exclude existing users, ofer. The cost does vary from user to user,
portfolio, it’s French synth masters Arturia. Their or owners of some of the instruments already, according to the amount of instruments already
relatively long-established collection of soft owned, so for the best price, always visit the
synths began in earnest at the very start of the
virtual instrument revolution, and since then
the collection has grown to a mighty 33 synth There is no doubt that Arturia website and log into your account.
But once you have taken advantage of any
exchanged payments, what is it you actually
titles. Not to be found resting on their laurels,
many of the favourites and originals have purchasing a package get? Firstly, the inclusion of many of the
instruments which have appeared since the last
beneited from sizeable updates, all included in
this new compendium. such as this represents V Collection was packaged for your delectation.
There are new additions from the Ensoniq SQ80
Getting updated
All of the synthesisers within this collection may tremendously good V, Augmented Strings and Augmented Voices
instruments, all of which have been available
prior to this update.
be purchased as individual instruments, but
there is no doubt that purchasing a package value for money With a blaze of glory, the new analogue
facsimile kid on the block arrives, in the shape of
68 / COMPUTER MUSIC / September 2022

 
 arturia v collection 9 / reviews <

The spirit of the MS-20

is assured, and once
you start raising the
resonance, it will rip
your head of
the Korg MS-20 V, and that’s where we’re going
to begin our sonic adventure.
We have always been big fans of the Korg
MS-20, from its original hardware incarnation, to
the newer mini, fullsized and software
reproductions from Korg. In true Arturia style,
the MS-20 V provides a startling resemblance in V Collection 9 is a great place to get vintage sounds – the Mini V recreates the iconic Minimoog
its graphical design and GUI, right down to the
often incomprehensible patchbay. (Actually, it’s
not totally incomprehensible, but it is quite a bit
to get your head around.) The usual suspects
We begin with a default patch, and compare It’s easy to get lost in a compendium creativity. The ever-present Minimoog
and contrast between a fullsize MS-20 reissue; such as this, thanks to the bewildering is represented too, in the shape of the
the bare oscillators sound startlingly accurate, array of synth plugins that are on ofer Mini V, while the equally ubiquitous
which is often one of the easiest elements to get within. The chances are, you might be Roland Juno is available from the
right. Where it gets a little bit more complicated, wondering whether or not you will use similarly fashioned Jun-6 V. You’ll also
is with the ilter section. Arturia have modelled the entire package, and the answer to ind recreations of electro-mechanical
both the Mk1 and Mk2 ilters, with a sliding that ultimately lies with your own pianos, with the Wurli V and Stage-73 V,
switch which allows the selection of one or the creativity and the style of production alongside the Piano V 3 which we’ve
other. Surprisingly, the switch can be a little you’re drawn to. With that strange twist previously mentioned in this review.
temperamental to activate, which probably has of irony, much of today’s production There are digital synths, modular
more to do with its size on screen, and the often relies on sounds from yesteryear, synths, and some quirky machines
reviewer clicking in the right place! and while the sounds may also be such as the Buchla Easel V. All in all, if
There is no doubt that the ilters provide the obtained from other places, V you can’t ind a synth or keyboard
very spirit of a MS-20, but when the cutof and Collection 9 could well be the perfect sound in this package, we can’t think
resonance are bought into play together, the springboard for your production where you would ind more choice!
behaviour and texture doesn’t seem to be what
we might call a carbon copy. Granted, we are
comparing analogue to software, and often in
these instances variables can colour the view,
but the mid register in particular doesn’t seem
to pack the same punch, in favour of a more happily rip your head of, just like an original. Of sequencer, just like the old accompanying
established bottom end, and brighter top end. course, there are numerous other beneits to vintage SQ-10, which was the MS-20’s
Arguably this provides a more commercial owning a MS-20 in software form, and that original companion.
sound, for a contemporary setting, and this includes a sizeable collection of backend efects, In line with the original, Arturia have kept the
might explain the sonic direction. the provision of a large number of really great step number to 12, but it is possible to chain
Regardless, the spirit of the MS-20 is assured, presets with the ability to save user patches too, sequences together, for longer phrasing.
and once you start raising the resonance, it will and the presence of a fullyledged step Unsurprisingly, you can have an awful lot of fun

With the latest update, Arturia’s ever-

expanding collection includes 33 synth titles

September 2022 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 69

 
 > reviews / arturia v collection 9
with the sequencer, and it provides endless New plugins
hours of musical noodling. Augmented
Strings and
Rebuilding classics… again
Moving on to other elements within the
Augmented
Voices
combine
collection, several of the instruments have had a samples with
synthesis and
little bit of a makeover. Arturia are still making morphing
good use of their TAE analogue modelling controls
technology, and nowhere is that more obvious
than with their version 4 update to the CS-80.
For our money, this has always been one of the
highlights of the collection, with its huge sonic
identity. Earlier incarnations of this plugin were
quite iddly to use, due to the smaller pots and
controls, but Arturia have obviously taken heed,
and the cleaner, sharper interface is far clearer
to use, while providing plenty of capacity for
click and drag points. Unsurprisingly, it
continues to sound as expensive as ever, and if
you are a fan of the whole scii/Blade Runner
scoring concept, this will be an undoubted hit.
The Prophet5 and ProphetVS plugins have
also beneited from a makeover, as has the
Piano V plugin, which now reaches version 3.
Stacked with 12 diferent models of piano,
ranging from vintage and dry, to cinematic and
lush, there is plenty to occupy any pianistic
tendencies from within one plugin.
You can bank on it
If you’re struggling for inspiration, with any of
these new or revised plugins, Arturia are at hand
with an exclusive set of 14 sound banks, crafted
with 832 presets, demonstrating the sonic and present, it does start to represent
prowess of each of the new instruments. These
are categorised, encompassing everything from
something of a bargain. Even better, many of the
instruments are production ready and perfect
Alternatively
pure pop, to cinematic and minimalistic. for inspiration. Roland Cloud
If you’re new to the Arturia world of plugins, 280 » 8/10 » from $2.99/mo
this collection could be deemed quite a large Web [Link] A multitude of modern and
inancial outlay, but when you look at the Info €599 for new users; upgrade price varies legendary classics on subscription.
substantial content, drawn from classics past on basis of previous purchases The vintage synths are among the
best in class
Korg Collection 3
301 » 9/10 » $399.00
With the MS-20 in mind, Korg’s
latest collection has 11 core classics,
which include the Polysix, Mono/
Poly and even ARP Odyssey. Their
MS-20 plugin is quite something!

Verdict
For Exceptionally comprehensive suite
of instruments
The new MS-20 V plugin packs quite the
punch indeed
Redesigned CS-80 V continues to inspire
Plenty of other suspects, from Fairlights
to Prophets
It’s a comprehensive package, at a great
price per plugin
Against Plugins often sound
production ready, which may or may not
actually appeal to you
Some of the plugin instruments might
feel superluous
As Arturia continue to make broad steps
into the hardware emulation arena, it’s
great to see them continue to support an
expansion of this worthy collection
The default screen may be increased to reveal efects and sequencer sections, allowing more focused working 9/10
70 / COMPUTER MUSIC / September 2022

 
 røde nth-100 / reviews <

Røde
NTH-100 £145
Can Røde’s first attempt at producing headphones be anywhere near
as good as the company’s microphones? Let’s find out…
You’ll probably know Røde for their quality deliver a wide and spacious sound. The sense of two or three times the price) . The NTH100s
microphones – the NT1 is a great, large- space is surprising, with a large separation of manage to inject some fun into the reference
diaphragm recording mic, while the NTUSB and mix parts and way less fatigue than can come side of music listening so deliver an impressive
Procaster certainly stand as fabulous solutions with many closed back headphones, especially crossover act which is especially great
for more contemporary podcasting and over those long listening periods. considering their very attractive price. For
streaming practices. Now Røde are releasing In mixing this means you’ll be hearing all of mixing and listening, we can’t recommend them
their irst ever pair of headphones, the NTH- those diferent parts and tracks with more enough and they will almost certainly become
100s, but can they maintain the quality standard clarity, even in larger, more complex mixes. The our new reference phones for future tests.
in such a completely new product area? sound is distinct too, with less perceivable
The Røde NTH100 are studio grade distortion at high volumes than you get with Web [Link]
headphones – no fancy bluetooth operation or other similarly priced headphones.
gimmicks here. These are straight-down-the-line It’s an accurate and neutral sound as well.
wired headphones aimed at producers or music With a wide frequency response of 5Hz to
listeners after a top-quality experience. 35kHz, the NTH100s cover the full listening
They have a great design and professional range (and some) with ease, but don’t deliver
feel with all of their component parts delivering much colouration anywhere. Again, this is ideal
a very conident ethos – not like a ‘product irst’ for mixing as you get a totally honest picture of
from a company, by any means. There’s a
cooling gel combined with memory foam in the
your music. But whereas some such accurate
phones can be dull and lifeless, these do impart Alternatively
ear pads, for example, that make them superbly some excitement which will keep you listening Beyerdynamic DT700 Pro X
comfortable. This is essential for the best mixing for longer. It’s a ine balancing act – you want the 304 » 9/10 » £209
headphones because you are going to be accuracy but you also want some fun, see box These closed-back headphones
wearing them for long periods and these below for more on this – but they just about from Beyerdynamic are right up
‘phones do not make themselves too noticeable manage to pull it of, and the NTH100 listening there with the Rødes but cost more
as you wear them – a real bonus. experience turns out to be much more exciting
Of course, the real proof of the pudding than other similar headphones. AKG K371
comes with the listening and the NTH100s don’t Overall we found the Røde NTH100’s sound 278 » 10/10 » £134
disappoint here either. They have a closed back to be enjoyable for both mixing (and even AKG’s headphones also deliver a
design – again good for mixing – but such mastering) as well as casual music listening. great closed-back sound and for
designs do tend to deliver rather a constrained More so in fact than many other hi-end even less outlay
stereo picture. Not here though, as these Rødes headphones we’ve tested (even those costing
Verdict
For Lovely and fresh design
Listening versus mixing Supremely comfortable even on
extended use
Headphones tend to sit in one of two camps. ‘mix out’ this colouration, resulting in an Amazing, accurate sound but with some
For mixing you want accuracy and to hear inaccurate sound on any other playback fun thrown in
your mix in all of its gory details so you can system. The Holy Grail of phones, then, is a set Great price too
make improvements and sort out problems. that somehow balances both of these. The Against Not a great deal
However, these phones tend to be rather NTH-100s are designed for audio
lifeless and wearing. The other type of can, performance but go some way towards that The NTH-100s have a brilliant design and
then, is tailored for listening. These might be miracle set of cans that fulils the brief for sound that will shake up the worlds o
coloured (often in the bass) to deliver more both types. While aimed towards both mixing and listening headphones
presence and excitement. They are not great professional use, these sound so good we’d
for mixing, though, as part of the frequency recommend them to anyone wanting a 10/10
range will be coloured and you’ll therefore detailed listening experience.
September 2022 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 71

 
 > reviews / tablets roundup

Best tablets for

music production
We’ve updated our iPad tablet roundup by including other devices
that use both the Android and Windows operating systems. Here are
some of the best tablets that you can make music with today
If you want to make music on the move, then Tablets use touchscreen interfaces, so you third type runs the full version of Windows.
buying a tablet for music production could be can drag, drop and create sounds with the touch These devices are not always included in tablet
the best way to go. There are many options, at and swipe of a inger. They also ofer much more roundups as they are essentially laptops with
just as many price points, so there should be screen real estate compared to your phone, so touchscreens – known often as 2-in-1 devices.
something for you no matter what your budget. make the whole music creation experience that However, as they deliver all the PC music
Most tablets for music production can run the much more fun and intuitive. making software power you need, and all within
best music applications out there, including However, entering the tablet world for music a touchscreen environment, we have included
complete sequencers to arrange music, synths production can be a slightly daunting them in our roundup.
and other instruments like guitar and piano experience, so we have created this buyer’s Over the following pages we discuss all three
emulations. They are also powerful enough to guide with all the advice you need, plus reviews operating systems and which you should
handle software from some of the biggest of the latest and best tablets for music choose for music making. We have also listed
names in the music production business, production on the market. our top music production tablet picks across all
including Korg, Steinberg, Arturia, IK There are two main tablet types – Android categories, alongside advice on using a tablet
Multimedia, Moog and FabFilter. and iOS – that run music production apps. A versus a laptop and desktop computer.
72 / COMPUTER MUSIC / September 2022

 
 tablets roundup / reviews <

consider Android tablets, for more for them – the iPad range is
familiarity if nothing else. the most expensive – and it
Taking each of the three on its doesn’t yet run the daddy of DAW
merits, Windows tablets giveyou packages, Logic. Yet. Wesay ‘yet’
the full desktop PC experience in because with many iPads in the
a mobile, laptop-like range utilising M1 chips, thereare
environment – in fact the 2-in-1 rumours that Logic on an iPad
tablet options are essentially could be around the corner
laptops with touchscreens. which, in many producers’ eyes,
These are considered more ‘pro’ would make the iPad the number
than Android devices but usually one choice for music making,
cost considerably more, not to end of.
mention weighing as much as a
laptop. Windows tablets
certainly run a gamut of music
What
replace tablet can
a laptop?
production software titles – all of If you’re hoping to get serious
the big ones – but the work done on a tablet then an
applications aren’t always iPad Pro, such as the iPad Pro 12.9
optimised for the
touch experience.
Obviously most
Android, likeiOS,
is all about touch
and mobility. These
are optimised for
use on the move, of us would
and there are many
great music making choose the bigger
applications – from
fun to full-on and options, but
professional– that
will giveyou all the remember to
balance out
tools you need for
mobile music

Buyer’s advice
production. While
we’re talking
Android, Amazon’s
slates use a version
portability here
of this iOS and
are great for
Choosing a tablet device for For music production, the entertainment,but not
music making gives you all the screen size is perhaps the most so good for more powerful work (2021), would be a good option.
advantages of making music crucial consideration and of or creativity which is why we’ve This has a big screen, lots of
anywhere, alongside the latest course you should choose this not included any in this roundup. power,and supports a keyboard
touch-operating experiences. according to what you are happy Apple’siPads giveyou the best add-on. For an Android
However, before you buy, do working with – and can aford. of the Apple desktop experience alternative, consider the
consider that some tablet options Obviously most of us would in a mobile, touch environment, Samsung Galaxy TabS8 Plus,
– particularly highly spec’ed up choose the bigger options, but and haveprobably the greatest which has similar selling points.
options from Apple and Microsoft remember to balance out lineup of more professional And for PC users, the Microsoft
– can cost the same as a laptop or portability here, as the whole music-making applications out Surface Prois essentially a laptop
even desktop machine. point of choosing a tablet over a there. That said, you arepaying PC so a great ‘pro’ choice.
So weigh up whether that desktop machine is the ease of
touch experience and a few music production away from
grams saved in weight are really home. Bigger screens usually
what you want for music mean more weight – all things to
production. Youmay ind, for ruminate over when you are
example, that the initial thrill of making music awayfrom home.
being able to ‘touch your music’ is
outweighed byclunky touch
interfaces and your music-
Android
versus versus iOS
Windows
making ingers being too big, so This is the big choice you will
do try out the experience before have tomake when it comes to
you buy. buying a tablet for music making.
If you have decided that the While we can’t make thisone for
tablet experience is the one you you, it may be that your existing
want, the main things to consider music production setup – if you
are how much you want to spend, already have one – or indeed the
and what operating system you phone you use, have already
want – with Apple’s iPadOS, made the decision for you.
Android and Windows being the If you have a Mac for music
main options. Then choose making then the iOS route is
according to what matters to you obvious; use a PC then Windows
– the screen size, weight, or might be your choice. And
power for example. Android phone users might
September 2022 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 73

 
 > reviews / tablets roundup

Apple
iPad Pro 12.9-inch
(5th gen, 2021) £999
STARTING PRICE: $1,099/£999/€1,199 | OPERATING SYSTEM: iPadOS | SCREEN SIZE: 12.9-inch | CHIP: M1 | CONNECTOR: USBC with support for Thunderbolt/USB 4 |
STORAGE OPTIONS: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB | DISPLAY RESOLUTION: 2732 x 2048 | WEIGHT: 682g

Apple’s M1-based iPad Pros have been With the iPad Pro you get this 8GB as
with us a year but are still the most ‘pro’ standard and it doubles to 16GB if you
tablet around. You can easily equate the choose the 1TB or 2TB options. All this
power and experience of using the iPad power doesn’t come cheap, however.
Pro 12.9-inch as to that of the 13-inch Go for the top dollar 2TB option and
MacBook Pro, all packed into a you’re looking at a couple of thousand Verdict
ridiculously thin tablet device with a all in, the same price as a fully-loaded For The biggest and most powerful
stunning XDR touchscreen. 1TB 16GB iMac, also with an M1 chip. iPad available
Will easily handle today’s music apps
And it’s the M1 chip that makes this You want a beautiful, static 24-inch Lovely display
and the new iPad Air our top choices for screen or a beautiful, mobile 13-inch
music making. The M1 chip has been touchscreen? Apple doesn’t make it Against Some spec options take the
causing a stir within Apple’s computers, easy to choose between desktop and price into iMac price territory
Bigger also means less portable
including the new Mac Studio, iPad, no, but if you are in the market for
aforementioned MacBook Pro, iMac and a tablet for music making, there’s Biggest does mean best when it comes to
Mac Mini, with even a base-model 8GB nothing slicker and more powerful out music making but also (slightly) more
of RAM proving to be very decent for there than the 12.9-inch Pro. cumbersome for mobile music making
music making. [Link] 9/10

74 / COMPUTER MUSIC / September 2022

 
 tablets roundup / reviews <

Computer
Music
choice
As we explain in the Buyer’s
Advice section, you should
choose a tablet on portability
versus power – the music making
functionality you can expect
compared to the weight and size
of the tablet. However there’salso
the operating system the tablet
uses to consider. This can be a
divisive subject with many die-
hard advocates lauding each
system, so we’ll divide our advice
up accordingly.
The Windows systems – aka
touchscreens that efectively
double as PC laptops – have been
dominated by Microsoft’sSurface
Pro, which is certainly an
expensiveoption if you just want

Apple to use a tablet. The latest Surface

Pro 8 looks set to maintain that
trend, with lovely design tweaks

iPad Pro 11-inch

and new functionality. If you have
the budget then you can spend a
lot on the top-end version of this,
or you could opt for the cheaper

(5th generation,
tablet-only option (minus the
keyboard) and upgrade later.
ForiOS devices, Apple’s iPad
Pros really shook things up in the

2021) £749
world of mobile music making
when they were released a year
ago. As ever,things change fast in
the world of iPad releases but
we’re still going to recommend
the larger 12.9 Pro as our iPad of
STARTING PRICE: $799/£749/€879 | OPERATING SYSTEM: iPadOS | SCREEN SIZE: 11-inch | CHIP: M1 | choice for music producers. It is
CONNECTOR: USBC with support for Thunderbolt/USB 4 | STORAGE OPTIONS: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB | not only (joint equal) the most
DISPLAY RESOLUTION: 2388 x 1668 | WEIGHT: 466g powerful iPad you can buy but
also boasts the sharpest screen.
Howeverrather than the
With the iPad Pro 11-inch model we get So as we’ve hinted at in our buying equally powerful iPad Pro 11-inch
an iPad that delivers all the power but advice section, it’s all about the screen getting second place, the new
iPad Air is stealing its thunder.
perhaps not the glory of our top-rated size. If you don’t need it, go for the Mini, This has all the M1 power within a
Apple, and it’s really up to you whether the newer Air or this smaller iPad Pro. super-compact design, so is
that bothers you. You will get all the power you need for probably the best iPad for
Some might say that the close to 13 music making, without showing of musicians in terms of portability
inches that the full-on iPad Pro ofers is about it with 12.9 inches. versus power. It has a lovely,
compact design with an M1 chip
too much, especially if you want to [Link] to deliver the music muscle
make music on the move. And if that’s you need.
you, you’ll get all of the best bits of the Verdict That leaves Android devices,
iPad Pro world here at a much more For Gives you that amazing M1 power and they simply don’t come much
down-to-earth price. Less expensive than the 12.9-inch better than the Samsung Galaxy
TabS8 Ultra. Its massive 14-inch
That said, you can easily add another iPad Pro
More power in compact form screen will wow youand is
grand to the asking price by spec’ing up perfect for touch music making, if
the 11-inch iMac Pro to the 2TB option Against Screen size only slightly not portability. If you are an
(which also doubles the RAM to 16GB). bigger than the iPad Air’s Android fan and have deep
You’ll end up with the most powerful All the power of the M1 chip for music
pocketsto empty of cash and ill
with one of the bigger tablets in
compact iPad there is, albeit for more making at a more reasonable price our tests, then look no further.
than you’d pay for a basic 13-inch
MacBook Pro. 9/10

September 2022 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 75

 
 > reviews / tablets roundup

Lenovo
Yoga Tab 13 £699
STARTING PRICE: $629/£699/€729 | OPERATING SYSTEM: Android | SCREEN SIZE: 13-inch | CHIP: Snapdragon 870 chipset | MEMORY: 8GB | CONNECTIVITY: USB Type-C
| STORAGE OPTIONS: 128GB, 256GB | DISPLAY RESOLUTION: 1350 x 2160 | WEIGHT: 830g

Lenovo is the only brand here to have a Lenovo Yoga Tab 13 has one or two
oot in two diferent OS camps – standout eatures including a built-in
Windows and Android – not surprising kickstand or propping it up without
as this model is a tablet straight rom needing a case. You can also use it as a
the company’s Yoga line o laptops second screen or a computer or laptop,
(we look at one such Windows but perhaps its standout eature or
model later). musicians is its large speaker which
As you might have guessed rom the delivers a great sound. Verdict
name, the Lenovo Yoga Tab 13 has a Power is decent, although you might For Great screen
13-inch screen, so just a tiny bit bigger want to upgrade to the larger storage Fantastic speaker quality
Very useful stand
than the largest Apple iPad Pro. It’s a option. Because o those extra eatures,
display that’s big and bold and one that the Yoga Tab 13 isn’t the cheapest tablet, Against Limited memory
makes using music apps (and others) a but is much more afordable than many Awkward to charge
breeze. But like all the larger screen o the other devices here. It is thereore Great, flexible Android tablet or music
tablets here, you’ll have to decide a good proposition i you’re ater a solid lovers – both producers and listeners
whether bigger is better when it comes Android device with some useul extras.
to mobile music making. [Link] 8/10

76 / COMPUTER MUSIC / September 2022

 
 tablets roundup / reviews <

Samsung
Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra £999
STARTING PRICE: $1,099/£999/€1,150 | OPERATING SYSTEM: Android | SCREEN SIZE: 14.6-inch | CHIP: Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 | RAM: up to 16GB | CONNECTIVITY: USB
Type-C | STORAGE OPTIONS: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB | DISPLAY RESOLUTION: 1848 x 2960 | WEIGHT: 726g

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra with most iPads you have to buy an
clearly has Apple’s top machine in its Apple Pencil separately.
sights, not just in terms of sheer power What the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8
but also screen real estate. In some Ultra also delivers is power, thanks in no
ways it supersedes Apple’s inest (the small part to the top-end Snapdragon 8
screen size at least) and it is certainly Gen 1 chipset. We also have to mention
the top of our Android tablet picks for the great speakers – you’ll want to listen
music production. to your music back, and these really do
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra has deliver a great sound considering the
the biggest screen of any tablet in our compact size.
buyer’s guide, at a massive 14.6-inches. In some ways, the Samsung Galaxy
This makes it a dream to make music on Tab S8 can be seen as an even bigger
– you really feel like you can touch those iPad Pro – it’s just that it runs the Verdict
notes. However, you deinitely should Android OS. Whether that suits you is, of For Very powerful
Biggest screen on test
consider the point of buying a tablet for course, a personal choice, but we’ve put
music production in the irst place, and it beneath the iPad Pro and Air simply Against Perhaps too big for
that is that you probably want to make because Apple’s OS is that bit slicker and mobile music
music anywhere and everywhere; so does ofer more apps for music Expensive
such a large screen – not to mention its producers. But for Android fans who The tablet to buy for Android music
weight – could be less practical to take want the best available option and aren’t producers who aren’t on a budget
out and about. Another nice touch is on a budget, this is the tablet to buy.
that you get an S Pen stylus included – [Link] 9/10

September 2022 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 77

 
 > reviews / tablets roundup

Microsoft
Surface Pro 8 £999
STARTING PRICE: $1,099/£999/€1,099 | OPERATING SYSTEM: Windows | SCREEN SIZE: 13-inch | CHIP: 3.0GHz Intel Core i7 | RAM: up to 32GB | CONNECTIVITY: 2 x
Thunderbolt 4, combi audio jack | STORAGE OPTIONS: from 256GB to 1TB | DISPLAY RESOLUTION: 2880 x 1920 | WEIGHT: 891g

If you are a Windows fan and music though, so check your connectivity
software user then tablets don’t come needs before buying
much more reined than the daddy of Even with its design changes – like
them all, the Microsoft Surface Pro. Like thin bezels and rounded edges –
the Lenovo below, this is more laptop Surface Pro 8 is still very much
than tablet, a 2-in-1 device that doubles recognisable as part of Microsoft’s
as both. You can buy it without the famous line of tablets. Yet it also acts
keyboard, although we consider that a and feels like a new generation, with
must-have accessory. It will therefore be some of the fastest hardware that’s ever
weightier on both your pockets and been seen in a Windows tablet. This all
wallet but, as the keyboard is makes it the best Surface Pro we’ve ever Verdict
detachable, you can run the device just seen, despite losing some legacy ports. For Super fast processors
as a tablet while out and about. Of course, all of these additions and Great new design
With the 8th incarnation, we get some enhancements come at a price – a lot Large display
Includes Thunderbolt 4
much-needed improvements and a more than its predecessor, the Surface
completely modernised design. The Pro 7, and you can expect to pay well Against Expensive
biggest feature for musicians is the over £2k if you really up the specs. Yet USB A has gone
inclusion of Thunderbolt 4 which should Surface Pro 8 really is the update we’ve It’s a touchscreen PC that runs the best
keep it relatively future-proof in terms of been waiting for and a truly powerful music software but you pay top dollar for it
adding music production peripherals. Windows tablet for musicians.
This comes at the expense of USBA [Link] 9/10

78 / COMPUTER MUSIC / September 2022

 
 tablets roundup / reviews <

Apple Apple
iPad mini (6th iPad Air (5th
generation, generation,
2021) £479 2022) £569
STARTING PRICE: $499/£479/€549 | OPERATING SYSTEM: iPadOS | SCREEN SIZE: STARTING PRICE: $599/£569/€679 | OPERATING SYSTEM: iPadOS | SCREEN SIZE:
8.3-inch | CHIP: A15 Bionic | CONNECTOR: USBC | STORAGE OPTIONS: 64GB, 10.9-inch | CHIP: M1 | CONNECTOR: USBC | STORAGE OPTIONS: 64GB, 256GB |
256GB | DISPLAY RESOLUTION: 2266 x 1488 | WEIGHT: 293g DISPLAY RESOLUTION: 2360 x 1640 | WEIGHT: 461g

The iPad Mini utilises the for music making on that The latest iPad shunts the screen is smaller (and uses a
same 6-core A15 bionic chip score alone. others out of the way, taking slightly diferent technology,
as found in much of the It will also suit pockets, a very commendable second though this is not that
iPhone 13 range. It also makes both inancially and place behind Apple’s top noticeable in use).
sense that this chip is the physically, more than the Pro machine. We’d recommend However, that smaller
main focus of the iPad Mini and you’ll be tempted, as we this iPad Air to people who screen also makes it a more
as it’s Apple’s ‘phone chip’ were, to upgrade to the new were interested in the iPad portable option for mobile
and of course the Mini is 256GB version for a Pro, but perhaps don’t music making – and
the closest in size to an reasonable extra $150/£150. actually need all of its bells remember that is what we’re
iPhone you can get. (In a The USBC connectivity will and whistles. looking for here for – so you
similar way the M1 chips are also help add music The Air has the same could easily argue that the
Apple’s ‘computer’ chips so it peripherals, so this is a Apple M1 chipset as the iPad iPad Air strikes the perfect
makes sense they go in the fantastic music producer’s Pro, so it’s just as powerful – balance between power
iPad Pros.) entry into the iPad family.. the 8-core CPU promises a and portability.
Comparing the two [Link] speed boost of up to 60 [Link]
performance wise is, percent in comparison to the
according to some, like previous model.
comparing chalk and cheese. In fact, we found that
The M1 deinitely wins out in Verdict there was little we could
the power stakes, but this For Delivers a great combination of throw at the iPad Air that Verdict
iPad Mini will still be powered mobility and power challenged it. This makes this For Great design
up long after a Pro’s battery And the best priced for what you get version vastly superior to the Speedy performance
life dwindles away. Either way Against Smallest screen size previous model and it’s rare
the A15 will outperform the (obviously) to see such a step change Against Limited storage
chips in the rest of the non Less power than an M1 between versions. Average battery life
Pro iPad range so the new Compact and powerful iPad, great for
iPad Air’s two key Great for musicians as it strikes the perfect
Mini is the most powerful non mobile musicians diferences over the Pro are balance between power and portability
M1 iPad available today, so we that it doesn’t have as much 9/10
can certainly recommend it 9/10 storage space and that its
September 2022 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 79

 
 > reviews / tablets roundup

Apple
iPad(9th generation) £319
STARTING PRICE: $329/£319/€379 | OPERATING SYSTEM: iPadOS | SCREEN SIZE: 10.2-inch | CHIP: A13 Bionic | CONNECTOR: Lightning connector | STORAGE OPTIONS:
64GB, 256GB | DISPLAY RESOLUTION: 2160 x 1620 at 264 ppi | WEIGHT: 487g

To say that the standard iPad is generation had been looking too
languishing in last place or Apple music weedy or too long – which should be
producers is not really the true picture enough or most musicians to own a
as it still represents a great buy – it’s just decent suite o apps. The 10.2-inch
the others have had their power souped screen is neither the biggest or
up or other specs tweaked. smallest either. Verdict
With the 9th generation iPad, though, And the price? Well next to the For The cheapest iPad
cost is undeniably a key target or iPad Pro this is obviously a steal but in Now starts with 64GB storage option
Apple to keep down, so it’s the best the world o Apple and music making,
value iPad – by some way – but also the you want the biggest and best, and Against The least powerful iPad
least powerul. even though this is a third o the price o It might not set the world on fire but this is
Nevertheless there are good points. It the Pro, we know which one we’re the best budget iPad or music producers
comes with 64GB capacity as a base saving or.
level – the 32GB on the previous [Link] 8/10

80 / COMPUTER MUSIC / September 2022

 
 tablets roundup / reviews <

Lenovo
ThinkPad X1 Yoga £1,729
STARTING PRICE: $1,526/£1,729 | OPERATING SYSTEM: Windows | SCREEN SIZE: 14-inch | CHIP: Intel Core i71165G7 with 16GB RAM | MEMORY: 8GB | CONNECTIONS: 2 x
USB Type-C Thunderbolt 4, 2 x USB Type-A, 1 x HDMI 2.0, 1 x 3.5mm combo jack | STORAGE: 512GB | DISPLAY RESOLUTION: 1920 x 1200p | WEIGHT: 1.35kg

Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1 Yoga is the latest ports in addition to the two Thunderbolt
refresh for the company’s lagship 4 USB Type-Cs, as well as an HDMI 2.0.
laptop and is the most expensive, The display is outstanding, a 16:10
although we also rate cheaper touchscreen – great for software that is
machines in the X1 Yoga range, and the optimised for touch. You might want to
Android Yoga Tab 13 above. As it up the memory to 16GB and storage to
features a touchscreen in its 2-in-1 512GB from the standard spec (which is Verdict
design it is also a tablet, albeit heavier half this) but then you are adding to an For Fantastic display
and more expensive than others in this already high price tag. Great performance for music
roundup. It runs Windows so will take on We’ll make no bones that this is more Excellent battery life
the most advanced music production laptop than tablet, but if you want the Against Very expensive
applications, and the addition of Intel’s touchscreen portability of tablet music Rather plain design
11th-gen Tiger Lake processors means it making on top of a Windows OS, they
will run them with ease. don’t come much more powerful. Just More laptop than tablet, but if you want
touch music making on top of Windows,
ThinkPad X1 Yoga comes loaded with be prepared to lay out some cash as it’s they don’t come much more powerful
connectivity for additional music the most expensive tablet on test here.
peripherals. You get two USB Type-A [Link] 8/10

September 2022 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 81

 
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FLUX MINI 2 CM
A long-time CM Suite staple, this multimode filter/amplitude plugin
gets a reresh this issue. Let’s learn more about how it works…
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efect, Tape Pro, a multistage distortion have better adjustment of the core parameters, Suite. Naturally, if you like Flux Mini 2 CM then
efect, Bee, and most recently their multi and with independent depth sliders for each of you should deinitely check out the
efects processor, Flux Pro. the ive controllable parameters, it’s easy to aforementioned Flux Pro. With four efects
Our own exclusive Caelum Audio plugin, create complex multifaceted efects. modules, three editable modulation curves and
Flux Mini CM, was an enhanced version o The curve is highly editable and its features a choice of 10 efects, it’s a highly creative
their original Flux Mini plugin, and in line include a handy snap grid and loating toolbar. plugin that’s a doddle to use. Head over to
with the latest version, Flux Mini 2, we now You can also run it either sync’d to DAW tempo [Link] for more info.

SETTINGS
MIDI TRIGGERING PRESETS FLOATINGTOOLBAR Access additional options
Activate the MIDI triggering You get 36 presets including Access handy graph tools including snap grid resolution
function with a choice of one shot 15 made specially for include snap options and MIDI CC output
and retrigger Computer Music

FILTER
TYPE
Choose from
low-pass,
high-pass
and band-
pass filters

MODULATION SNAP GRID AND GRAPH NODES

DEPTH MAIN FREQUENCY Add, remove and CURVE NODES
Set the PARAMETERS ANALYSER edit the graph Adjust the shape of
modulation Adjust the key The background using the main the curve using the
amount using parameters includes a snap grid pink nodes purple curve nodes
these handy including cutoff, and the frequency
sliders amplitude and pan analyser display
84 / COMPUTER MUSIC September 2022

 
 caelum audio flux mini 2 cm / ree sotware <

> Step by step 1. Download and installation

1 Flux Mini 2 CM is included in our free

software resource, and this is available
via Filesilo. To get started head to ilesilo.
[Link]/computermusic and either login or
create a new account as required.
2 To grab the content you’ll need to
unlock the issue and this means
answering a simple question about the
current issue. Once unlocked, head to the
software section and download the
instructions and the correct installer for
3 Run the plugin installer, then launch
your DAW and let it scan the new
plugin. Flux Mini 2 CM has no serial
number so once the process has inished
you should be good to go.
your platform.

> Step by step 2. Navigating the plugin

1 Now let’s take a look at Flux Mini 2 CM

features. Flux Mini CM 2 features a
new expanded interface that employs
similar graphics to their new Flux Pro
plugin. Meanwhile the feature set is an
extended version of the Flux Mini 2 freebie
2 Load up an instance as an insert. The
top bar includes the preset browser in
the middle, parameter undo/redo, the
MIDI triggering drop-down menu to the
left and Settings menu on the right. You’ll
ind various options in the Settings
3 The main left hand panel includes the
key ilter parameters (Cutof and
Resonance) and a drop-down menu to
select the ilter type – low, high or band
pass. Beyond this you have Amplitude,
Pan and wet/dry Mix controls. In the
and includes control of Pan and a including the option to output the curve bottom left hand corner you can select
CM-speciic preset bank. data as a MIDI CC of your choice. sync’d or free time (up to 10 secs).

4 Five of the parameters are slider

controls. This is how you apply the
control curve and you’ll ind each
parameter includes positive and negative
settings (up to +/- 100%). This is a more
capable system than the original Flux Mini
5 The graph display occupies the middle
and right. This gives an easy way to
create complex control curves and also
includes a background frequency
analyser and adjustable snap grid
resolution. To make changes you double
6 To assist with curve creation there are
also some cursor tools, which you
access from the Settings menu. We
suggest you select the Floating Toolbar
option as this keeps the tools visible at all
times and allows you to position the
CM and allows control of ive parameters click the curve to add nodes and then drag toolbar to taste.
at the same time. the nodes or accompanying curve shape
nodes to get the desired outcome.

September 2022 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 85

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 > free software / caelum audio lux mini 2 cm

> Step by step 3. Basic operation

1 Now let’s set up a basic efect. Load up

some suitable audio (we’re using a
beat loop) and insert an instance of Flux
Mini 2 CM. Make sure you have the Init
preset loaded from the preset bar.
2 Looking at the parameters you should
see a pink halo round the Amplitude
control. Hit play and you’ll hear Flux Mini 2
CM is controlling the amplitude and this is
synced to 1/8th notes. Change the Sync
value to quarter notes and you’ll hear the
3 Now double click the Amplitude depth
to zero it and set the Amplitude to
100%. From the ilter drop-down, select
Low-Pass and set the Cutof to about
100Hz and Resonance to about 30%. Set
the Filter amount to +100% and the Sync
amplitude curve occurring four times for rate to half. You should now have a rising
each 4/4 bar. ilter happening every two beats.

4 Now try adjusting the curve. Here

we’ve made one simple change to the
purple curve node at the end and the
curve now tails of more gradually so the
ilter frequency reduces less aggressively.
By adjusting one of the initial purple
5 We’ve already mentioned the graph
toolbar and this can help when
adjusting curves. The pencil and rubber
tools on the left provide simpler single-
click functionality for these key options.
Meanwhile, the two magnet icons on the
6 Now try applying the curve to other
parameters. Here we’ve set the wet/
dry Mix to 50% with Depth set to +100% so
the curve subtly controls the mix blend.
We’ve also applied the curve to the
Resonance (+84%) so it exaggerates it
nodes we can also exaggerate the ilter right are for snap and allow you to snap when the curve peaks.
rise at the beginning. the main nodes or curve nodes to the grid.

7 You can add loads of nodes to Flux

Mini 2 CM and this means you can
create some pretty cool efects. The
plugin includes both the preset bank
included with the free version and a
second bank of 15 special Computer Music
8 This complex curve, set across two
bars, delivers an alternative riser, but
because it’s not too fast, you can also
clearly see the illuminated curve tracer
highlighting the curve as it plays. Here
we’ve switched Sync to four bars and
9 Check out some of the other presets in
the Computer Music folder. They are a
bit more interesting than the regular bank.
Good examples include Zero Cool, which
combines ilter and amplitude modulation,
and the excellent Glitched Steps, which
presets. Head to this folder and load up inessed the nodes to create a slightly provides an excellent springboard for all
the Choppy Riser preset. diferent rising ilter efect. sorts of glitchy efects.

86 / COMPUTER MUSIC September 2022

 
 caelum audio flux mini 2 cm / ree sotware <

> Step by step 4. Sidechain effect

1 So far we’ve mainly focused on

controlling the ilter in Flux Mini 2 CM.
However, with control over the amplitude,
Flux Mini 2 CM is also great for pumping
efects. These ‘fake chain’ efects are easy
to create. Here we’re working on a house
2 Starting with the Init patch, set the
Sync rate to quarter notes and make
sure the Filter is set to ‘of’. Now set the
Amplitude to 0%, with its Depth
parameter set to 100%. If you hit play
you’ll hear the curve controlling just
3 The inal stage is to adjust the curve
shape. The efect is often a bit too
extreme like this so we’ve inished up by
setting the Mix control to about 70% to
compensate. For further examples of this
type of efect head to the Factory preset
beat and we’ve inserted an instance of the amplitude. folder and look for the Fakechain presets.
Flux Mini 2 CM on the piano.

> Step by step 4. MIDI control

1 Though it’s a simple plugin, Flux Mini 2

CM has a decent MIDI system that lets
you control the plugin in a few ways. As
ever, with MIDI control you need to check
your DAW for connection instructions.
2 What this setup allows us to do is use
MIDI to override the repetitive
fakechain style efect. Here we’re sticking
with our previous curve settings, but we’re
using MIDI to trigger the curve. We’ve set
MIDI to Retrigger.
3 This means the curve starts at
playback but any MIDI notes received
will also restart the curve playback. Here
we’ve programmed up a MIDI pattern to
control the curve and this achieves a more
complex pattern than we could using
We’ve loaded Flux Mini 2 CM as a Logic
Pro MIDI-controlled instrument, routing regular playback triggering.
audio accordingly.

4 Now try the One Shot option. Here

we’ve modiied the preset Texxtuure
to create a quite long evolving iltering
efect over four bars. By using the One
Shot option we can now control when the
curve will start to playback.
5 Rather than run the curve from the
beginning of the part, or create a
repetitive part it’s now possible to do
something much more speciic. Here you
can see from the MIDI part that the curve
only starts on bar 7 and we’ve then used
6 The One Shot MIDI option is also great
for creating short rhythmic efects.
Here we’ve modiied the Gentle Vocal
Chop preset, adding some band-pass ilter
with high resonance. We’ve then played a
MIDI pattern on the ly, creating a
the MIDI to retrigger it to create a squelchy rhythmic efect from a
rhythmic ilter efect at the end. straightforward pad sound.
September 2022 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 87

 
 DOWNLOAD

> Free software

Get this great plugin for your
PC/Mac at
[Link]/computermusic

KIRNU CREAM CM
Kirnu’s classic Cream CM gets an update this month. We show you
how to get up and running and take you through its main features
We’re very proud o our ree sotware plugin, and is ideal for creating arpeggios, lead Sequencer. The upshot is a highly creative and
resource, CM Suite, but it’s air to say that rifs, melodies and basslines. Much like the full multifaceted plugin that is great fun to use. It
over time some o the older plugins stopped version, Cream CM works as a VST and AU also includes a bunch of categorised arpeggio
working, and this is particularly true or Mac plugin for Windows and OS X. Signiicantly it presets and a selection of chord memories to
users. We’ve been working hard with the also works as a MIDI FX plugin in OS X, so Logic get you started.
original developers to get as many o these Pro users can insert it as a MIDI efect on an Cream CM is at its best when turning the
classic tools updated and back up and instrument track. mundane into the interesting. Here we’ll show
running. This month we’re happy to report As you’ve probably guessed, Cream CM you how to get up and running then take you on
that one such example, Cream CM rom makes no actual sound of its own. What it a tour of its key features. As ever, if you like
developer Kirnu, is now ully rereshed and actually does is take your sequencer MIDI notes Cream CM then you’ll love the full version,
specifically or OS X users now supports and transform them into patterns. This which has more features, including up to 12
Apple Silicon. starts with typical arpeggiator features but patterns, 16 chord memory slots and a bunch of
Cream CM is a slimmed down version of is augmented by a parameter Patterns great presets. For more information head over
Kirnu’s MIDI performance and sequencing generator, Chord Memory section and Pattern to [Link]

ARPEGGIATOR SETTINGS STATUS BAR ARPEGGIATOR CONTROLS PATTERN

Adjust various additional arpeggio Monitor currently selected parameters Set up the main parameters for TOOLBAR
parameters including the input and access the preset browser the currently loaded arpeggio Use the various
pitch range and output base note tools including
lasso, randomise,
copy and paste
to help create
your pattern
parameters
PATTERN DATA PATTERN
Click on the CONTROLS
various tabs and Make changes to
use the display pattern specific
to edit arpeggio options such as
parameters number of steps
and offsets and play order

THE FINNISH
FLAG
A link to Wikipedia
CHORD MEMORY PATTERN VIEW PATTERN SEQUENCER just to remind you
Load and edit specific chords Visualise the currently played Chain together multiple patterns that Cream is coded
for use in the arpeggio pattern arpeggio and associated parameters to create more complex parts in Finland
88 / COMPUTER MUSIC September 2022

 
 kirnu cream cm / free software <

> Step by step 1. Download and installation

1 Kirnu Cream CM is included in our free

software resource, and this is available
via ilesilo. To get started head to www.
[Link]/computermusic and either
login or create a new account as required.
2 Access to the software resource is
limited to purchasers of the magazine.
To unlock the content for a speciic issue
there is a question based on its content.
Once you’ve answered this, you can
then download the required Kirnu Cream
3 Now run the Installer. Launch your
DAW, make sure it scans the new
plugin and then open an instance. You’ll
ind the plugin in your typical VST/AU
folder, although Logic Pro users should
note that it will be in their MIDI FX folder.
CM instructions and installer.

> Step by step 2. Navigating and connecting

1 Now let’s run through the main

features and layout. Load up and open
an instance of Cream CM. You’ll see the
interface has a number of regions. At the
top is the main arpeggiator with typical
settings including Rate, Octaves, Swing
2 This works in conjunction with the
Pattern Controls on the right, and
speciically the number of Steps, and the
eight Play Order settings (Hi-Lo, Lo-Hi,
Reversed and so on). There are also a
bunch of categorised arpeggiator presets
3 Dominating the middle is the 32-step
Pattern section. This illuminates the
notes generated by the arpeggiator as it
plays. Signiicantly, it also provides a
number of ways to change how those
notes are played on a step-by-step basis,
and so on. loaded via the menu bar at the top. and you’ll see various tabs including
Order, Length, Accent, Transpose.

4 Cream CM has four diferent patterns

and these can also be arranged in the
Pattern Sequencer. This has four slots and
you can deine how many times (Repeat)
and duration in steps (Length) for each
component pattern. This provides an
5 Using Cream CM usually involves
routing its MIDI to a MIDI instrument
track. Here in Cubase 11 we’ve loaded
Cream CM as a MIDI instrument and then
on the destination MIDI instrument track
selected Cream CM as the input source
6 Most DAWs use a system similar to
Cubase, although you’ll need to check
the speciics. In contrast, Logic Pro users
can insert Cream CM as a MIDI FX. This
insert slot is available on the instrument
track and makes getting started quite a
additional creative tool once you have and input channel. Now with both tracks bit simpler.
your patterns up and running. armed, Cream CM is triggering the
target instrument.

September 2022 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 89

 
 > free software / kirnu cream cm

> Step by step 3. Basics

1 With a suitable synth loaded – we’re

using Cableguys Curve 2 CM – and
Cream CM loaded and routed to the synth
according to your DAW’s system, you can
now start to explore Cream CM’s many
sequencer features. Load the Init preset
2 Start by playing a single note. You’ll
see the arpeggiator notes appear in
the pattern grid. Now adjust the Octaves
setting. We’ve set ours to 3 and you should
now have a typical arpeggiator pattern
across three octaves. Once again you can
3 In typical arpeggiator fashion you
also have Swing, Rate, Gate and
Transpose parameters that will inluence
the overall arp. Try tweaking these. Here
we’ve made some changes to the swing
and gate parameters.
from the preset menu and set the note see the notes playing in the pattern area.
input range in the top left to C1 to C9.

4 Now reset the controls or simply

reload the Init preset and this time
play a chord. Here we’ve programmed a
simple three-note triad. Now if you head
over to the Pattern Controls on the right
you can inluence how Cream CM
5 Cream CM includes a number of
categorised arpeggiator presets –
bass, lead, rhythm and miscellaneous. The
preset naming also includes a handy
indication of how many notes the
arpeggiator is meant for, so Trance Arp 06
6 With an arpeggio running, the pattern
section of Cream CM is used to apply
changes to each step. Here we’ve loaded
Trance arp 08 – 1K and if we click on the
Transpose tab, we can see a bunch of
pitch modiiers applied to the arp. Try
interprets the chord. Try switching – 4K is designed for a four-note chord. adjusting these and you’ll see that they’re
between the various options – here we’ve applying pitch ofsets to the existing
selected Hi-Lo. arpeggio pattern.

7 There are, of course, further

parameters we can change including
note accent and note length, and you can
draw in multiple changes in one go using
the pencil. Here we’ve quickly changed
the gate time across multiple steps to
8 One option in the pattern section is
chord memory. This ties in with the
section below and tells the pattern to
follow the notes of the chord indicated on
the keyboard. You can select the notes
manually on the keyboard, or load one of
9 Here we’ve reloaded the Init preset
and then loaded the Minor 7 option
from the dropdown menu. Cream CM only
follows the chord for the selected steps. To
play all the chord notes in sequence, we’ve
selected all steps in the irst row, which is
create more interest in our basic arpeggio. the presets. You can also page through the for Chord Memory 1. You can, of course,
various chord inversions using the Inv tab. select speciic steps if you like.

90 / COMPUTER MUSIC September 2022

 
 kirnu cream cm / free software <

> Step by step 4. Looping and pattern sequencer

1 Now let’s look at ways we can be

creative by using the length, looping
and pattern sequencer features. We’ve
loaded up a new synth – Thorn CM – with
the patch Bass Solid playing a minor triad,
and also a fresh instance of Cream CM
2 The irst thing to spot here is that the
Cream CM preset is already making
use of the looping feature. In the top bar of
the pattern area you’ll see two arrows
which are the looping markers. But also
notice that the loop direction on the right
3 Signiicantly the looping feature
allows you to loop sections of the
pattern area on a parameter by parameter
basis. Try adjusting the loop markers for
the Order tab and then switch to the Gate
tab. Here adjust the loop markers to a
with the preset ‘Lead S’. is set to Down. Change this to Up to see diferent section. Switch between
the diference. parameters and you’ll see they both have
their own loops.

4 You may have also spotted as you

switch between them that the loop
direction is also speciic to the parameter,
and here the Order parameter is moving
forward and the Gate parameter
backwards through the pattern. Here
5 Clearly, changing the loop settings is
incredibly powerful and once you get
started this can get pretty addictive. Here
we’ve selected the Accent parameter and
added a bunch of parameter ofsets. Then
we’ve messed around with the loop points
6 If you’re after some really
transformative changes head for the
Transpose parameter. Once again we’ve
set up a bunch of transpose settings to
modify the original pattern. Then we’ve
messed around with the loop points
we’ve switched the Gate to the Up until we get something we like. and loop direction to create a pretty
Alt setting. warped outcome.

7 You can create up to four patterns in

Cream CM and these patterns can be
used in the Pattern Sequencer in the
bottom right-hand corner. To get started
we’ve used the pattern tools to copy and
paste the required parameters to two new
8 Cream CM is limited to four patterns
and four slots in the pattern
sequencer, and for our fourth pattern
we’ve used the randomise option. This
works on the currently selected
parameter. Now select the patterns in the
9 Next, switch on the Pattern Sequencer.
We’ve set up the sequence lengths
and repeats and also extended our initial
chord to two bars so the sequence
doesn’t retrigger. Try some diferent
values to create more interesting
patterns. Note, this does not copy the loop top row of the Pattern Sequencer. outcomes. For example here we’ve set
points, only the parameter ofsets. one pattern to play ive steps and another
to play 11 steps.

September 2022 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 91

 
 > your free samples / all-new samples

Filthy samples!
It’s a filthy theme this issue so we’ve got two new packs o dirty samples plus
experimental and ound sound classics. Get them at FileSilo or WeTranser

Cyclick Dirt
Cyclick Samples put together this irst
Groovy Filth
Oli Bell from Groove Criminals has also been getting deep, down and…
new pack of dirt samples. Here’s what
Rob says of his creations… “We’re getting grubby with a covering of analogue dirt! We’ve started with
some ilthy acid basslines that we’ve smeared in fuzz from a selection of
“Dirt, scum, fuzz, ilth, scuz, call it what our favourite fuzz pedals. We’ve included dry loops as well and tried (not
you will; in the end it’s all distortion. So successfully) to dial the destruction down to subtle(ish) levels.
here is a sample pack of distorted loops “We ran beats through a few of our trusted dirt plugins. These include
and one-shots to bring an instant dose of saturation emulators for some tape/vintage/cheap preamp goodness and
adulterated noise to proceedings. The Waves’ excellent Loi which has lots of options for adding dirt and noise to
distortion has all been generated with a signal. Our favourite plugin, and part of our secret sauce, is AudioThing’s
analogue devices, mostly stompboxes Wires. Developed with Hainbach, it’s an emulation of a Soviet wire
along with the trusty Culture Rooster. recorder and brings beautiful grime to anything.
Sources were reamped through chains of “We put the Korg Triton piano through the Mid-i Scrape Flutter, an
pedals or via the mono Mixing Link which envelope controlled vibrato that really adds unpredictable oddness. Lastly
also ended in the WEM Custom Copicat we’ve included a healthy stack of dirty layers: tape noise, vinyl crackle and
tape echo from 1965. DISTORTION GEAR USED various types of hum and
“No two loops were allowed to use the even some digital noise.”
same settings and pedals were swapped Boss SD-1 & GE-7
out in case the dirt became too similar. Fender The Pelt Fuzz OTHER GEAR USED
The only settings were used for the chord UA Starlight Echo Station Catalinbread Antichthon
one-shots, which feature three classic Korg CMP-1 Compressor DBA Robot Clone
keyboards (courtesy of the excellent Fuzzdog Bass BrassMaster Bluf Chill Robodog
Arturia V Collection) beaten up by WEM Custom Copicat valve Raygun Youth Chaos
transistors, transformers, valves/tubes, tape echo Fuzz clone
diodes and magnetic tape. The Nasty Dreadbox Komorebi Corruptor fuzz clone
Guitar folder was done by plugging a Sandpit NKT214 Germanium Fostex portable turntable
Gretsch guitar into the Eventide Mixing Fuzz Keeley Fuzz Bender Various cassette players
Link chain, with feedback that occurred Dr No Octofuzz
via the monitors. Drum hits were also Danelectro Spring King
MeldaProduction MSaturator
collected as drum loops were created.” ToneBoosters Ferox and
There’s more detail in Rob’s PDF in the TC Hall of Fame/Viscous Vibe TimeMachine
samples folder. Kokko Overdrive FXpansion Maul

92 / COMPUTER MUSIC / September 2022

 
 from the vault / your free samples <

EXPERIMENTAL
SOUNDSCAPES
FROM THE VAULT Groove Criminals Cyclick
EXPERIMENTAL
The first classic pack was put The next set o classic sounds was
together by our old riends, the created by our equally old riends
Groove Criminals, who used some Cyclick who went more classic

SOUNDSCAPES
proper classic gear (well, classic with their samples. Here’s what
now, not then!) to put this we said…
collection together. Here’s what “From vintage 50sstyle synth
we had to say… noises to huge, reverberated
“The Groove Criminals have atmospheres and intense,
GET THE WHITE COAT applied their criminal mind to great
efect this issue, using Audio
Damage’s Axon neuron sequencer
eedbackdriven FX, Cyclick take
you on a rollercoaster ride this
month. These diverse samples
to drive some classy external were created using WEM Custom
We’ve gone back to issue 164 hardware like the Moog Little
Phatty and Novation K-Station
Copicat and LEM Baby tape
echoes, plus a Kurzweil K2600r
to get experimental. We said: synths. As well as that, they’ve
employed a variety o efects,
and other choice pieces.”

“These samples are dark, including the Moogerooger and

Peavy Univerb 2, to rough the
deep and mysterious, sounds up to within an inch o their
lives. Enjoy…”
eschewing all common
notions of musicality for a 931 CLASSIC 835 CLASSIC
journey into audio’s unknown SAMPLES SAMPLES
extremities. If it’s something including… including…
unusual you’re after, your 51 Abstract FX 81 50s sci-fi FX
journey has well and truly 57 Atmospheres
31 Melodic sequences
14 Multisampled
instruments
reached its destination.” 10 Multisampled
instruments
149 Atmospheres
171 Feedback samples
Read on for more detail on 9 Nasty FX 64 FX loops
the sounds from our sample 85 PercussiveFX
100 Percussivehits
67 Reverb loops
81 Echo loops
experts Groove Criminals and 61 Reverse and short FX
28 Synth FX
Cyclick Samples.
September 2022 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 93

 
 > your free samples / from the vault

FOUND SOUND
FROM THE VAULT

SAMPLES
LOOK OUT THERE!
Our second classic pack goes back
to issue 175 when we last went
outside! We said: “The elements of
rhythm, melody, harmony
921 CLASSIC SAMPLES and texture can be found around us
in the real world, everywhere from
including… the sweet trills of morning bird song
145 Drum hits
268 Drum loops to the throbbing thrum of traic
270 Ambient loops
19 Multisampled inst. patches noise. These samples take these raw
3 Drum kits elements and turn them into beats,
7 Long-wave radio recordings
25 Field recordings hits, FX, atmospheres and chromatic
84 Processedfield recordings
100 Random synth sounds multisampled patches. Need
originality? Here it is.”

> Step by step How to get your free sample packs

1 Now we are DVD-less, there are two

ways to get your free samples. The
irst is, as ever, from FileSilo at [Link].
uk. Create an account there if you haven’t
already, and select Computer Music from
the main page.
2 Click this month’s cover and answer
the simple question related to a word
in this issue (not the one shown above!).
This will get you access to all of the
samples and plugins to download directly.
3 If FileSilo is running slowly, simply
download the text ile called “Speed
issues with FileSilo”. This has links to all of
this issue’s content via our WeTransfer
page. These will be larger iles but you
should be able to download them faster
using this method.

94 / COMPUTER MUSIC / September 2022

 
 loopmasters samples / your free samples <

Loopmasters 311 samples

This month’s demo sample selection highlighting Loopmasters’ latest releases
01 SHARP VocalCyberPop 04 HY2ROGENFutureLatinPop
02 Ind. Strength LEDM–Drum’n’Bass 05 Blind AudioNubilousSlowedTechno
03 LMNorthQuarterSound,Vol.2–Satl 06 SamplestateDeep&FunkyNu-Disco2

September 2022 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 95

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96 / COMPUTER MUSIC / September 2022

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ISSUE 311 SEPTEMBER 2022
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